Proposal Would Give Californians Final Say on Health Care Reform
On Thursday, Sen. Tony Strickland (R-Moorpark) announced that he is introducing a state constitutional amendment (SCA 29) that would let Californians vote on whether the state would adopt certain elements of national health care reform efforts, the Ventura County Star reports.
Strickland's proposed amendment would require voter approval before any of the provisions listed below could take effect in California:
- A requirement that individuals have health insurance coverage;
- Regulations that require insurers to offer insurance coverage to people without regard to age or pre-existing conditions;
- Requirements that employers provide insurance or contribute to the cost of workers' health insurance;
- A government-run health plan that competes with private insurers; and
- A single-payer health plan (Herdt, Ventura County Star, 2/25).
Strickland hopes the legislature will approve the bill quickly so that it can go before voters for approval (Shadley, "KXJZ News," Capital Public Radio, 2/25).
Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access, questioned the constitutionality of the proposal and argued that Strickland's announcement was timed to distract from President Obama's health care summit in Washington, D.C., yesterday (Ventura County Star, 2/25). 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.