Universal Concerns About Universal Health Care

In California, the legislative calendar is coming to an end, and still the debate on health care reform seems far from resolution. As competing plans are dissected and debated on the floor, citizens and business groups are stepping up to make their feelings known. Health providers and small businesses are putting out press releases to make their stance on the issue a matter of public record, and the one constant throughout is the sense of urgency that is felt on the subject.

Among others making their position known, the California Association of Physicians Groups stresses the lack of attention to preventative services in any of the current legislation:

California's network of 150 medical groups applauds the leadership in producing their pending health care reform proposals, but a critical factor necessary for these to succeed is glaringly missing -- namely, an express requirement for an affordable, coordinated benefit plan that emphasizes prevention, disease management, and increased access to healthcare.

Small businesses overwhelmingly support universal coverage according to the San Diego Business Journal:

Eighty percent of those surveyed also believe that businesses should provide their employees with health care, according to the survey released Aug. 24 by Small Business for Affordable Healthcare, a coalition of the Small Business Majority, a progressive nonprofit organization based in Sausalito.

The California Primary Care Association joins the bandwagon, invoking the "year of health care reform," which draws to and end soon:

The California Primary Care Association (CPCA), which represents over 650 community clinics and health centers throughout the state, today delivered a letter to Governor Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders calling on them to move now to enact meaningful, comprehensive health care reform that fixes California's malfunctioning system of health care. With just days remaining in the legislative session, the window of opportunity is closing fast on what was proclaimed to be the year of health care reform in California.

SOURCE: "Media Statement From Don Crane, President, California Association of Physician Groups" 09/10/07
SOURCE: "Despite High Cost, Small Business Says It Supports Universal Health Care" 09/10/07
SOURCE: "Act Now to Fix Our Broken Health Care System" 09/07/07

photo courtesy of HeyPaul on Flickr remixed and used under this Creative Commons license