SB 1005 Health for All Act clears Senate Health Committee

[Iwillnevergiveup]

THE HEALTH FOR ALL ACT CLEARS SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE

April 30, 2014
SACRAMENTO — Today, SB 1005 known as the Health for All Act authored by Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Huntington Park/Long Beach) advanced out of the Senate Health Committee by a vote of 6 to 1. The bill will expand access to health care coverage for all Californians, regardless of immigration status.

“California continues to lead where the federal government is failing to act. While we’ve made enormous strides to reduce California’s uninsured population with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, we won’t have a truly healthy state until everyone has access to quality, affordable coverage,” said Senator Lara. “Let's build on the vision and promise of the Affordable Care Act and make Health for All a reality in the Golden State. Families will thrive, the state will grow stronger, and the nation will have a new, powerful example to catch up to.”

Under the bill, undocumented Californians who don't have health care would be able to pay an affordable price for health insurance in a statewide marketplace that mirrors our state's "Covered California" exchange. Additionally, low-income California families would be able to get regular medical care through our state's Medi-Cal program.

The Affordable Care Act specifically excluded undocumented immigrants from insurance coverage provided through the health care exchange known as Covered California in the Golden State. An estimated three to four million people in the state will remain uninsured in spite of ACA, and almost a million of those will be undocumented residents ineligible for coverage. Access to preventive care keeps people healthier by providing regular check-ups and screenings, and early diagnosis of health problems ensures those problems can be treated before they become overly expensive.

The bill will be heard next in Senate Appropriations.

- See more at: http://sd33.senate.ca.gov/news/2014-04-30-health-all-act-clears-senate-health-committee#sthash.2xa2k3Uj.dpuf

[SunSeeker]

1. Good. That means I might actually be seen in the emergency room within 12 hours.

Right now, these poor uninsured people are choking our emergency rooms with maladies that could easily be taken care of at a doctor's office, but they have nowhere else to go. And for folks who come to the emergency room with a major emergency, even with insurance, they find a long wait and chaos. This should help fix that.