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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, June 2, 2005
For Media Assistance
Sacramento--Legislation to help provide
health insurance to every California child was approved today
by the both the California State Assembly and Senate. Authored
by Assembly members Wilma Chan and Dario Frommer (AB 772)
and Senators Martha Escutia, Elaine Alquist, Don Perata,
and Carol Midgen (SB 437), the legislation will achieve an
historic goal of securing health insurance for all uninsured
children in California. SB 437 passed by a vote of 25 ayes
to 15 noes, and AB 772 passed the Assembly by a vote of 49
ayes to 27 noes. Each of the two measures must now win approval
by the other house before going to the governor.
The bills' sponsors--the 100% Campaign and
PICO California--have also founded Californians for Healthy
Kids, an unprecedented and diverse coalition of teachers,
business leaders, parents, health care providers, faith leaders,
health plans, labor representatives, community organizations
and children's advocates focused on insuring every child in
California. Supporters throughout California come together
around this goal because when children receive timely check-ups
and care, all Californians benefit: healthier children perform
better in school and are less likely to need expensive treatment
in emergency rooms.
"Assembly and Senate approval today
moves us two giant steps closer to making an historic goal
a reality this year--to ensure every child in California has
access to affordable health insurance," said Beth Osthimer
of the Children's Defense Fund and spokesperson for the 100%
Campaign, a collaboration of Children Now, Children's Defense
Fund and The Children's Partnership. "These bills recognize
that insuring all children is a shared responsibility and
promote innovative and practical solutions that are cost-realistic."
The goals of the legislation target the increasing
number of middle-class families whose children are not covered
by employer coverage and who can no longer afford to purchase
insurance, as well as low-income families whose efforts to
apply for health coverage are often stymied by the application
process and the confusion created by a myriad of health programs.
Recognizing California's current budget constraints,
the legislation envisions a phase-in starting with building
on the successes of local efforts to cover all children and
improving efficiencies in how eligible children can more easily
enroll existing publicly-funded state insurance programs--Healthy
Families and Medi-Cal and stay enrolled in coverage. The majority
of uninsured children qualify for either Healthy Families
or Medi-Cal today, but they are not enrolled.
"The Legislature is responding to what is
being voiced by Californians across the state and across party
lines--providing health insurance to all California's children
is a priority and is realistic to achieve this year," said
Jim Keddy of the PICO California Project.
The 100% Campaign, a collaborative
effort of Children Now, Children's Defense Fund
and The Children's Partnership, with primary funding
from The California Endowment, was created to ensure
that all of California's children obtain the health
coverage they need to grow up strong and healthy.
The PICO California Project
is the united effort of 20 California congregation-community
organizations affiliated with the PICO National
Network. Collectively, we represent 350 congregations
and 400,000 families statewide and are actively
organizing in over 70 cities in Northern and
Southern California.
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