February 23, 2007

CONTACT: Sara Rogers 916 445 1353 or Robin Podolsky 310 441 9084

www.sen.ca.gov/kuehl

SENATOR SHEILA KUEHL RE-INTRODUCES HEALTHCARE BILL WITH WIDE LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT

Flanked by lawmakers from both houses of the California legislature, business figures, labor leaders and grass roots activists, State Senator Sheila Kuehl, Chair of the Senate Health Committee will hold a press conference to announce her re-introduction of SB 840, a comprehensive healthcare coverage reform bill that will insure every Californian while securing the right of each patient to choose his or her own physician.

Speaking alongside Senator Kuehl will be State Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero; State Assembly Majority Leader Karen Bass; a representative from the Service Employees International Union; John Hughes, President of Rhythm and Hughes and two formerly middle class workers who have been financially devastated by the cost of healthcare coverage.

The press conference will be held in the Governor’s press room in the State Capitol Building on Tuesday, February 27 at 12:00 noon.

SB 840 will insure every Californian with comprehensive healthcare coverage; guarantee our right to choose our own doctors; control the cost of healthcare; lower the cost of prescription drugs and preserve medical practices and pharmacies as private, competitive businesses. SB 840 provides comprehensive medical, dental, vision, hospitalization and prescription drug coverage to every California resident. This broad coverage is made possible through a streamlined claims and reimbursement system that is projected to save billions of dollars in administrative costs. SB 840 also requires California to use its purchasing power to negotiate bulk rates for prescription drugs and durable medical equipment, such as wheelchairs, thus realizing an additional billions in savings. SB 840 preserves the status of healthcare providers, hospitals and pharmacies as private, competitive businesses. The plan is funded by drawing in current public spending and replacing all premiums, co-pays and deductibles paid to insurance companies with one affordable premium paid to the system.

SB 840 was passed by both houses of the legislature last year and vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger. The passage of SB 840 marked the first time that the California Legislature, or the legislature of any state, has passed a comprehensive healthcare reform of this magnitude. Since then, the Governor has taken up the call for expanding healthcare coverage, offering a series of suggestions for new legislation. Two other plans for reforming aspects of the healthcare crisis, authored by Democratic legislators, will be also considered this year.

“I am very pleased to be re-introducing SB 840, the only truly universal and affordable healthcare proposal this year. I’m gratified that the Administration and legislative leadership has recognized the need for reform and is taking a look at what might be done,” says Senator Kuehl. “I am committed to working with everyone involved to get as much relief for consumers and healthcare providers this year as we can get; but I remain resolved to move us forward, as well, toward the long-term solution of genuine reform that SB 840 offers.

“SB 840 genuinely empowers consumers, because it allows each of us uninterrupted access to the doctors we trust. We will be free to move on from our jobs; start a business; start a family, continue our education and change our residence, knowing that our healthcare will follow us. SB 840 offers genuine affordability, because our premiums will be based on income and each of us will pay our share, as would employers. SB 840 offers a genuinely competitive medical marketplace, because all healthcare providers will be in competition for patients based, not on a race to the bottom, but on the quality and efficiency of their service.

“SB 840 represents the gold standard for healthcare reform—the plan that will move California into healthcare solvency and security, not only for ourselves, but for the generations that will follow.”