#MediCALForAllCalifornians

We cannot remain #SaferAtHome during a pandemic and economic crises when #OurCalifornia has seen record unemployment of over 25% and astronomical costs for general and COVID-19 care.  I recognize that our current for profit system provides substandard and extremely expensive service which cannot continue during this pandemic or after.

For Californian’s privileged to still have insurance because of their employment, there have been a range of unexpected costs, insurance declines of coverage, and costly premiums.  For each and every Californian who has lost their job, the government provides an unrealistically expensive alternative known as COBRA when we do not have income.  For those Californians who remain underinsured or uninsured, resources are extremely limited for general and COVID-19 healthcare.

Our health is the top priority, for all people, with no exceptions.  In a pandemic and long after one is gone.  And as healthcare is a human right – it remains critically important that we ensure such health protections cover all people including essential and low-wage workers, health workers, independent contractors, Veterans, Black and Latinx communities, LGBTQ and Gender Noncomforming Folx, Migrant populations, our Elders, the Disabled, our currently incarcerated peoples, unhoused & housing insecure and all  marginalized and underserved populations.  

As your Governor I would use the California  Emergency Services Act (2 CCR § 8550-8669.7) and the authority vested to me in 2 CCR § 8567a & 2 CCR § 8569-8570 in order to mitigate the effects of our declared States of Emergency both for COVID-19 and our economic crisis by:

• Utilizing Gubernatorial Power to override California State Speaker’s Vote, Anthony Rendon, and supporting which was introduced by Senators Lara & Atkins, with Principal Coauthors Senators Galgiani and Weiner & Assemblymembers Bonta & Gomez, Coauthors Senators Allen, McGuire and Skinner & Assemblymembers Chiu, Friedman, Kalra, McCarty, Nazarian, Stone and Thurmond and enact HB 562, a single-payer MediCAL for All;

• Creating the #MediCALForAllCalifornians by expanding full MediCAL coverage immediately to all Californians and ensuring #OurCalifornia receives comprehensive healthcare coverage, free at the point of service including but not limited to:
  • COVID-19 Specific:

• COVID-19 testing and treatment;
• COVID-19 Protective equipment;
• Expanded hospital capacity, especially prioritizing rural areas, territories and tribal lands being hit hardest;
• Waive and/or ensure insurance companies reimburse all pandemic surprise bills #OurCalifornia has received which are not covered by AB 72  – specifically ambulance, and air ambulance charges which can amount to tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars;
• Commandeer any private hospitals for COVID-19 care whenever necessary for #OurCalifornia; 

• Medical, dental, hearing, vision, and home- and community-based long-term care, in-patient and out-patient services, mental health and substance abuse treatment, reproductive and maternity care, mobility aids and assistive devices, prescription drugs, and more;
• Transform our healthcare system, products, service and care received for #OurCalifornia.  These 5 major shifting techniques are proven and will significantly improve population health, client care,  and ensure cost-avoidant practices for the State:
  • Enable proactive, preventive & predictive care over the reactive “sick” care system based on the episodic, acute care model most currently receive;
  • Promote personalized care instead of one-size fits all approaches, ensure healthcare services are client-centered;
  • Decentralize healthcare locations and instead of our current institution-centered focus;
  • Empower patient involvement in their health and health journeys with agency, input, and empathy rather than paternalistic, dismissive or shaming experiences often had;
  • Promote value-based care for clients over volume-based care of clients;
• Stop the pharmaceutical industry from price-gouging #OurCalifornia and ensuring all Californians no more than a total $250 a year for all medicines needed by Californians under our new  #MediCALForAllCalifornians & an enactment SB562;
• Waive and/or ensure insurance companies reimburse all surprise bills #OurCalifornia has received which are not covered by AB 72  & AB1611;

• In the true spirit of Upton Sinclair’s End Poverty in California campaign, I will call on fellow Citizens, Socialists, Governors, and fellow Socialist Gubernatorial campaigns across this country to adopt and implement the same.

Given Governor Newsom’s declared States of Emergency and his Constitutional authority, there is nothing logistically stopping the Governor Newsom from adopting and immediately implementing all of these policies for #OurCalfironia.  We call on him to do so immediately.