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California State Senate Passes Nunez-Perata Health Care Bill: Assembly Debating AB 8 Now for Final Passage

September-10,-2007-098.gif
Senate President pro Tem Don Perata presenting AB 8 on the Senate floor

By Frank D. Russo

This afternoon the California State Senate passed AB 8 (Nunez-Perata) on a 22 to 17 vote with only Democrats in support and all Republicans opposed. Democratic Senator Sheil Kuehl, the author of SB 840, a single payor plan, and Senator Lou Correa voted against the bill. Senator Joe Simitian did not vote. The bill now heads to the Assembly, which we have just been advised will be debating it shortly.

The debate on the bill was a little more bizarre than most. It took place against the backdrop that there is almost a virtual certainty that Governor Schwarzenegger will veto the bill and then call the legislature back for a special session on health. Senator Perata in presenting the bill acknowledged that the seven week impasse on the state budget had a big impact on failure to negotiate a last minute deal that the Governor could commit to in advance to sign. He said if there was a special session, it will be incumbent on the Governor to provide us with his legislation—a not so gentle reminder that the Governor has never had a bill proposal introduced in this, the “year of health care” that he proclaimed.

Republican Senator Sam Aanestad quoted from the California Nurses Association and their reasons for opposing AB 8 and any approach that retains insurance as part of the plan. When Sheila Kuehl, the author of SB 840—a single payor plan that eliminates insurance companies from the equation—rose to speak, she could only begin her remarks saying “I’m still getting used to Senator Aanestad quoting the California Nurses Association.” There is not a single Republican in the legislature that has voted –this year or last for SB 840 and there is no question but that they will not vote for any single payor plan or one favored by the nurses.

Aanestad also got his facts wrong on a number of facts about the bill. At one point he said there was not a single organization in support of the bill without amendments. The he qualified his statement that no major medical organization was in support. He later said that no unions were in support unless the bill was amended.

However, as we pointed out earlier, there were 25 or so individuals representing a diverse array of unions, health organizations, and other groups in support of AB 8 who appeared this morning at a press conference to voice their feelings. None of them qualified their remarks with anything about amendments. These groups included Health Access California, an umbrella organization with over 200 different organizations part of their coalition. They also included the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and the California Labor Federation which represents over 2 million workers in the state. Other unions, AFSCME and SEIU were represented and in support.

Senator Runner who followed Aanestad in speaking called the bill “political theater,” but I don’t think he was commenting on the Aanestad having clothed himself in citing the real (CNA) and imagined (unions that support it, but that he said wanted it amended) opponents.

We will report more fully on the Senate debate later after today’s session is over.

Senator Kuehl’s statement in opposing AB 8 was generous in her praise for those who had worked on the bill and their improvements to it. But in the end, she told the Senate that she had learned of the problems caused by any approach that retains insurance. She said that, “For those of you who vote for the bill, I understand you are voting your hopes, knowing it will be vetoed by the Governor.”

Using the analogy of the Titanic for the current health care system, she said she had criticized some measures as rearranging the deck chairs, but that there has been a real attempt in AB 8 to “turn the direction of the ship.” But she said the Titanic was sunk because the ship had tried to turn rather than “facing the iceberg head on” which would have at least kept it afloat longer and saved more lives. I have no idea of the facts about the Titanic, but she made her point.

Democratic Senator Darrell Steinberg, after hearing critics of the bill, said “Let’s be honest—it is the only majority vote option available.”

Posted on September 10, 2007

Comments

With all respect to Senator Kuehl, whose role in the process I appreciate, I think AB8 is more like airlifting in some more lifeboats to the Titanic just in time.

Californians are dying now for lack of health care. While I much prefer single-payer, and will keep pressing for it, many people can't afford to wait until it arrives. This bill would help millions of people, and I'm grateful to everyone who worked on a truly progressive proposal that could actually get through both houses.

Posted by: Amy at September 10, 2007 06:36 PM

I agree with Amy. The idea that we should take a pass on insuring over 3 million people, increasing oversight of insurance companies, establishing a minimum healthcare standard for employment similar to the minimum wage, and putting in place the infrastructure that we could use to build a single payer system (a statewide pool, a public insurer) is mind-boggling. I respect Senator Kuehl greatly but on this I really disagree. The idea that single-payer has to happen cataclysmically or not at all is an ideological and strategic box that has limited the movement and our progress as a state.

Posted by: Christopher at September 10, 2007 10:45 PM

Why don't the Democrats just introduce the Governor's Health Care Plan into the legislation? Just offer to to take and and submit it for a vote. It won't garner Republican votes and the Democrats disagree with it and the Governor's 'health care plan' will be soundly TERMINATED for all the state to see. The GOP is bailing on ANY reforms providing OR mandating coverage. Do you see Romney touting HIS mandatory health plan HE got passed while HE WAS GOVERNOR? Nope! Submit Arnie's health plan, see it TERMINATED by the GOP, then move on. It's just more smoke and mirrors.

Posted by: Nick at September 11, 2007 06:56 AM

With all due respect to the person who thinks AB8 is the lifeboat to save people on the Titanic, you couldn't be more wrong. As long as the very problem (private insurance companies and their profit motive) remain in the mix any "reform" is doomed. Just look at what has happened in Massachusetts. AB8 will NOT cover everyone and will NOT control costs and will leave many vulnerable to skyrocketing premiums that are already far too expensive for the average person. It only serves to expand the insurance industry for their profit. The fact that insurance companies (i.e. AARP - who we can also thank for the disaster Medicare Part D - and Blue Shield Foundation) supported and pushed for AB8 should be enough to make anyone pause for some serious doubt. Do you honestly believe the insurance industry would support reform that doesn't benefit THEM? If this were the case, we wouldn’t be in this mess to begin with. AB8 is a terrible bill with one real purpose - to stop the real reform SB 840 which puts insurance companies out of business -- and that's the rub.

Posted by: Sally Hampton at September 11, 2007 01:43 PM

The problem with passing this AB8 because it is "passable" is that it is like Bush's Plan D prescription drug program in Medicare. It puts public dollars into the pockets of the private insurance co's and will end up costing too much. We don't have the time to mess around with this lame attempt to pacify the insurance companies by keeping them at the table so they can continue to take the best and leave the rest of us to eat leftovers and do the dishes when they are gone. We need Single-Payer ASAP.

Posted by: Sylvia at September 11, 2007 06:29 PM

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