California Union Takes Aim At High Health Care Costs With Ballot Initiatives
But the Service Employees International Union – United Healthcare Workers West has a history of dropping the efforts during the arduous approval process.
Politico:
California Union Leverages Ballot Initiatives For Health Care On Its Own Terms
One of California's most powerful heath care unions wants the public to press hospitals and insurers over high costs, filing 10 state and local propositions for November’s elections — a tactic critics deride as an inappropriate attempt to gain negotiating leverage via the ballot box. Following victories to raise the minimum wage in Arizona, Colorado, Maine and Washington, the Service Employees International Union – United Healthcare Workers West got state approval to collect signatures for two California propositions: one to prevent health insurers with high reserves from raising premiums, and another that would tax millionaires to help fund safety-net hospitals and clinics. (Colliver, 2/5)