California Healthline Highlights Recent Health Policy Events, Op-Eds
Several newspapers this week have addressed health policy events and published editorials and opinion pieces on bills under consideration by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R). Summaries appear below.
Several dozen people on Thursday rallied in front of Schwarzenegger's office, urging him to sign two bills sponsored by Assembly member Wilma Chan (D-Oakland) that would help expand enrollment in Medi-Cal and Healthy Families for California residents up to age 21, the Oakland Tribune reports (Richman, Oakland Tribune, 9/16).
One bill, AB 772, would raise the income eligibility guideline for state health insurance programs for children, allowing more children to enroll (California Healthline, 9/16). The other proposal, AB 1199, would create the California Healthy Kids Fund as a repository for public funds and private contributions (Beaver, Oakland Tribune, 9/17).
Margita Thompson, Schwarzenegger's press secretary, said the governor will not take a position on the bills until they reach his desk. Thompson said, "It's absolutely an important issue to discuss, it's something the governor cares passionately about," adding that Schwarzenegger "needs to see if this is the right way to do it at this particular time given the impact on the general fund" (Oakland Tribune, 9/16).
Schwarzenegger last week hosted the Governor's Summit on Health, Nutrition and Obesity, an invitation-only event that featured celebrity appearances and the signing of two bills restricting sales of unhealthy foods and beverages at schools during school hours, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Many who attended the event, including health care providers, physicians, teachers and community activists, said the new laws should be only the first of a number of efforts to make California children healthier.
Schwarzenegger said, "My administration is going to do even more to build a healthy California for everyone, including fighting diabetes and obesity in health screenings and building more parks in urban areas" (Stein, Los Angeles Times, 9/19).
Three editorials and one opinion piece discuss health-related legislation. Summaries appear below.
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Contra Costa Times: "We applaud the governor for tackling the issue" of childhood obesity, a Contra Costa Times editorial states, adding, "The key now is to sustain the momentum from the conference and keep hammering away at the problem" (Contra Costa Times, 9/19).
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Modesto Bee: Schwarzenegger "wisely signed the school nutrition reforms, intended to curb the growing obesity problem among California school children," a Bee editorial states, adding that the "new laws will make California a national leader in offering nutritious food on campus -- so that schools are matching their message of good health with the meals they serve" (Modesto Bee, 9/21).
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San Jose Mercury News: Schwarzenegger could "leave a lifelong legacy in the public health arena" by signing SB 600, a bill by Sen. Deborah Ortiz (D-Sacramento) that would establish a statewide program for measuring chemical contaminants in people, a Mercury News editorial states. According to the editorial, the "value would be in identifying broad threats to public health or identifying patterns of illness" (San Jose Mercury News, 9/19).
- David Lazarus, San Francisco Chronicle: California health insurers "would potentially save ... $1.4 billion over five years" if Schwarzenegger signed SB 576, a bill that would require insurers to cover both prescription and over-the-counter smoking-cessation treatments, Lazarus, a Chronicle columnist, writes. "Amazingly, ... the legislation is opposed by business interests," Lazarus writes, adding that health care advocates have said Schwarzenegger is unlikely to sign the bill (Lazarus, San Francisco Chronicle, 9/18).
KPBS' "KPBS News" on Monday reported on the smoking cessation bill. The segment includes comments from Bobby Pena, spokesperson for the California Association of Health Plans (Goldberg, "KPBS News," KPBS, 9/19). The complete transcript is available online. The complete segment is available online in RealPlayer.
This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.