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San Jose Mercury News
By Carl Guardino
January 26, 2007
When it comes to his own comprehensive health care reform
proposal, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is doing what any
wise person would do on an important medical matter:
He's seeking a second opinion.
That desire to debate his own ideas brought him to Silicon
Valley on Monday, where he met with 25 CEOs to gain feedback
on his proposal and hear concerns about the health care
crisis threatening California workers, families, employers
and our economy. He has sought similar forums with workers
and employers throughout the state.
To his credit, he spoke boldly about the health care
crisis confronting too many Californians. It is a seemingly
intractable issue, with costs and coverage constraints
that have burdened individuals and employers. Thoughtful
plans have also been submitted by Senate President Pro
Tem Don Perata and Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez.
Proposals from Assembly Republican leaders are anticipated
soon. The Silicon Valley Leadership Group applauds these
positive developments.
Simultaneously, discussions in Sacramento by several
respected leaders have been sidetracked by debates as
to whether some of the governor's proposals amount to
a "tax"' or a "fee." In Silicon Valley, our focus
is more pragmatic: Will the plan work? Even on a complex
issue like health care reform, we found there is more
that unites us than divides us.
From SVLG's perspective, any comprehensive plan requires
four essential elements: wellness, shared responsibility,
cost containment and coverage for every California child.
First, wellness. The old maxim "An ounce of prevention
is worth a pound of cure" applies. More than one in
10 Californians smoke, including 200,000 kids. More than
2 million Californians suffer from diabetes. Obesity
could soon surpass smoking as California's leading cause
of preventable death. Equally alarming, four of every
10 kids are overweight or obese, stuck in sedentary lifestyles
that value video games over physical activity, fast food
over fruits and vegetables. We can do better.
At our meeting with the governor, Con-Way CEO Doug Stotlar
shared his company's groundbreaking wellness program.
The trucking and logistics firm invests in its employees
with innovative programs at facilities throughout the
nation to provide "wellness coaches" who work with
blue- and white-collar workers alike on nutrition, diet
and exercise. The results are encouraging -- stabilizing
health care costs, reducing employee absenteeism and
curbing chronic diseases. Employer-based efforts that
recognize and reward wellness must be emphasized and
encouraged. In the governor's plan, they are.
Second, a comprehensive plan must embrace shared responsibility.
On major issues that affect us all, the leadership group
agrees with the governor: If everyone benefits, everyone
contributes. It is too easy to see a crisis, point to
"the other guy," assess blame and assign costs to anyone
but ourselves. Every Californian -- each individual and
employer -- has a responsibility and a role in crafting
a statewide solution.
Third, let's confront the hidden tax on Californians.
Today, one of every five people you pass lacks health
care: 6.5 million Californians. It costs each family
$1,185 annually in extra health care expenses, straining
our emergency rooms: often the first and last resort
for the uninsured.
Fourth, we need to insure every kid in California. Nearly
750,000 kids lack any form of coverage. Not only is it
the right choice morally, it is the wise choice to protect
our own families.
Finally, we cannot forget the impact our broken health
care system has on California's competitiveness. Companies
throughout the state compete for the world's best workers.
Recruiting top talent requires a competitive health care
package. Numerous employers, large and small, shared
horror stories with the governor of spiraling health
care costs increasing 10 to 20 percent annually. An adequate
health care plan must be affordable to workers, families
and employers. This applies inside and outside California.
Seagate CEO Bill Watkins is committed to providing health
care coverage for all company employees around the globe.
Seagate invests $100 million annually in health care
coverage for its U.S. workforce. That is approximately
13 percent of the company's annual U.S. payroll. In the
globally competitive disk drive industry, this commitment
reflects the value valley employers place on employees
worldwide.
By aligning the needs of real families and communities
with the financial responsibilities of our companies,
we can help forge solutions that are sensitive to the
bottom-line realities of California companies and workers.
Carl Guardino is CEO of the Silicon
Valley Leadership Group.
He wrote this article for the Mercury News.
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