Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Medical overhaul planned for California
Wow, I have to reassess my regard for the Governator. He is really overstepping on this one. In a perfect world this would work out and everybody would be happy. I can only see this driving businesses (which had finally started coming back) and doctors out of California. I don't see it reducing health care costs either. As for the consumer, it may be more beneficial for a company to pay the 4% of payroll waiver than to continue current health coverage for thier employees, which means employees could pay more out of pocket.
Then there is this, which is a thorny issue for me:
Schwarzenegger deserves credit for increasing the Medi-Cal reimbursement to doctors and hospitals. For too long, Washington and Sacramento have dished out medical benefits without paying for them.
'But Schwarzenegger was wrong when he said this about health coverage for illegal immigrants: "I don't think there is a question or debate that they ought to be covered." That argument was based on the fact that federal law already requires that hospitals provide emergency care for those who need it. No one who needs emergency care can be turned away. So, Schwarzenegger extrapolated, providing nonemergency care is "realistic" and "not being in denial."
"Realistic," according to the governor's office means that nearly 1 million undocumented workers will gain health coverage if the package passes -- 40,000 through their (illegal) jobs, 160,000 by purchasing individual coverage and the remaining 750,000 would have their coverage paid for by the state. (Read: Your tax dollars.)
And those numbers do not take into account the attraction of guaranteeing health care to all residents, which -- if you believe immigrants make smart economic decisions -- is bound to lead to a surge in the number of immigrants illegally crossing the border into California. More undocumented workers will send for their families to join them, and others will decide that free health care provides an added incentive to break the law.'
From A new license for illegal immigrants
Then there is this, which is a thorny issue for me:
Schwarzenegger deserves credit for increasing the Medi-Cal reimbursement to doctors and hospitals. For too long, Washington and Sacramento have dished out medical benefits without paying for them.
'But Schwarzenegger was wrong when he said this about health coverage for illegal immigrants: "I don't think there is a question or debate that they ought to be covered." That argument was based on the fact that federal law already requires that hospitals provide emergency care for those who need it. No one who needs emergency care can be turned away. So, Schwarzenegger extrapolated, providing nonemergency care is "realistic" and "not being in denial."
"Realistic," according to the governor's office means that nearly 1 million undocumented workers will gain health coverage if the package passes -- 40,000 through their (illegal) jobs, 160,000 by purchasing individual coverage and the remaining 750,000 would have their coverage paid for by the state. (Read: Your tax dollars.)
And those numbers do not take into account the attraction of guaranteeing health care to all residents, which -- if you believe immigrants make smart economic decisions -- is bound to lead to a surge in the number of immigrants illegally crossing the border into California. More undocumented workers will send for their families to join them, and others will decide that free health care provides an added incentive to break the law.'
From A new license for illegal immigrants
# posted by Hena Gaijin @ 7:57 PM 
