We are deeply disappointed in the lack of action by the Senate Health
Committee today. The failure to vote for health care reform was in
effect a vote for the status quo.
Our current health care
system, with skyrocketing costs and six million uninsured Californians,
is unacceptable and unsustainable. To add to current problems, today
the Senate Pro Tem and many others noted that in the near term, health
care could get worse, as state coverage programs could face up to $1.1
billion in cuts in the upcoming budget. The faltering economy makes
health insurance all the more tenuous for many California residents,
bolstering the need for reform even more.
While we are
frustrated and saddened that the Senate bypassed the huge opportunity
today, we hope this is not the end of the conversation about health
care reform in 2008. It is imperative that California contains the
rising costs of health care, expands coverage, and protects consumers
in the health insurance market.
