the IVCLA takes positions on health care proposals
Letter to the Editor
Fontana Herald News
June 4, 2007
From the IVCLA's website -- "This powerful partnership serves as a catalyst, advocate, lobbyist and educator, ensuring that a pro-business agenda is always considered."
The pro-business agenda, would, of course, include for-profit health insurance companies that are in the business of making money at the cost (and health) of its customers. Many have upwards of 25-35% in administrative costs to pay exorbitant CEO compensation, are beholden to shareholders and Wall Street, and employ adjusters whose sole job is to keep costs down - meaning, denying health coverage, benefits and treatment.
Though we are lucky enough to have an employer-based family health insurance plan, others are not so fortunate. It is time to break the link of healthcare to employment as many small businesses will never be able to afford for-profit insurance premiums no matter the tax incentive. Nor can most individuals. Cheap, high-deductible or catastrophic policies do not provide affordable healthcare, and are a band-aid, at most.
During a job transition, my mother, now an employee of the City of Chino, currently pays $375+ a month for COBRA. The city does have an opportunity to participate in a high-deductible group insurance plan (after a year of employment) that may very well cost much more in the event she gets sick, suffers a long-term illness, or sustains an injury (especially since the city does not pay into state disability, provide her any sick-pay, nor vacation pay-- just as many other cities, municipalities, and small businesses are unable to do).
Rose Ann DeMoro, director of the California Nurses Association will join state Sen. Sheila Kuehl, chair of the Senate Health Committee, and author of the healthcare reform bill, SB 840 at a legislative briefing on June 12th in Sacramento where filmmaker Michael Moore will testify. DeMoro notes that Moore's newest documentary "SiCKO" is "not just an indictment of an indefensible healthcare industry in the U.S. It's a rejoinder for those who think we can fix the soulless monster by tinkering with an unconscionable system that puts us further in thrall to those who created the crisis."
This weekend hundreds marched in San Bernardino in a New Orleans style funeral march for our existing, broken system, in support of this legislation and universal health CARE for all. Not health coverage. Health care.
I encourage people to visit onecarenow.org to determine the costs of not supporting SB840. This bill, incidentally, was passed in California during last year's legislative session but vetoed by Gov. Schwarzenegger. That veto, has cost my mother and other Californians like her $2,250 in insurance premiums these first six months of 2007, not to mention co-pays for appointments, prescriptions, and other deductibles. A pre-tax Health Savings Account is not the answer, nor is a tax-deduction. The money still must be SPENT on a broken system just to get a little back. Who can afford that?
Bobbi Jo Chavarria
Fontana Herald News
June 4, 2007
From the IVCLA's website -- "This powerful partnership serves as a catalyst, advocate, lobbyist and educator, ensuring that a pro-business agenda is always considered."
The pro-business agenda, would, of course, include for-profit health insurance companies that are in the business of making money at the cost (and health) of its customers. Many have upwards of 25-35% in administrative costs to pay exorbitant CEO compensation, are beholden to shareholders and Wall Street, and employ adjusters whose sole job is to keep costs down - meaning, denying health coverage, benefits and treatment.
Though we are lucky enough to have an employer-based family health insurance plan, others are not so fortunate. It is time to break the link of healthcare to employment as many small businesses will never be able to afford for-profit insurance premiums no matter the tax incentive. Nor can most individuals. Cheap, high-deductible or catastrophic policies do not provide affordable healthcare, and are a band-aid, at most.
During a job transition, my mother, now an employee of the City of Chino, currently pays $375+ a month for COBRA. The city does have an opportunity to participate in a high-deductible group insurance plan (after a year of employment) that may very well cost much more in the event she gets sick, suffers a long-term illness, or sustains an injury (especially since the city does not pay into state disability, provide her any sick-pay, nor vacation pay-- just as many other cities, municipalities, and small businesses are unable to do).
Rose Ann DeMoro, director of the California Nurses Association will join state Sen. Sheila Kuehl, chair of the Senate Health Committee, and author of the healthcare reform bill, SB 840 at a legislative briefing on June 12th in Sacramento where filmmaker Michael Moore will testify. DeMoro notes that Moore's newest documentary "SiCKO" is "not just an indictment of an indefensible healthcare industry in the U.S. It's a rejoinder for those who think we can fix the soulless monster by tinkering with an unconscionable system that puts us further in thrall to those who created the crisis."
This weekend hundreds marched in San Bernardino in a New Orleans style funeral march for our existing, broken system, in support of this legislation and universal health CARE for all. Not health coverage. Health care.
I encourage people to visit onecarenow.org to determine the costs of not supporting SB840. This bill, incidentally, was passed in California during last year's legislative session but vetoed by Gov. Schwarzenegger. That veto, has cost my mother and other Californians like her $2,250 in insurance premiums these first six months of 2007, not to mention co-pays for appointments, prescriptions, and other deductibles. A pre-tax Health Savings Account is not the answer, nor is a tax-deduction. The money still must be SPENT on a broken system just to get a little back. Who can afford that?
Bobbi Jo Chavarria
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