Los Angeles Mayoral Candidate Villaraigosa Pledges To Address ‘Health Care Crisis’
Los Angeles City Council member Antonio Villaraigosa, a candidate in the March 8 Los Angeles mayoral election, on Wednesday said that he would work to reduce prescription drug costs and expand health care coverage to all newborns, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Speaking on the steps of City Hall with a group of nurses, Villaraigosa said, "Health care is usually not part of the mayor's job description," but he added that there is a "health care crisis" in Los Angeles.
Villaraigosa said he hopes to create a countywide bulk-purchasing program to help lower the cost of prescription drugs. He also said he plans to create a program that would enroll newborns in health insurance programs before they leave the hospital.
The California Nurses Association has endorsed Villaraigosa (Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 2/17).