CMA Statement On Health Reform, USA

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 30 Jan 2008 - 14:00 PDT

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The following statement was made by Richard Frankenstein, M.D., president of the California Medical Association

"We are here not to rejoice in the demise of another health reform plan, but to praise the efforts of those who have worked to further its important goals, and to declare our hope for and continued commitment to health reform in the near future. This bill may not advance, but the cause of health care for California surely has. Governor Schwarzenegger, Senator Perata, and Speaker Nuñez deserve a lot of credit for maintaining the high profile of this issue, and for laying the groundwork for the reform that eventually must happen.

We thank the Governor for bringing this important issue to the forefront, and we appreciate the efforts of all those who've worked so diligently on health reform during the past several months. There are many innovative ideas and solutions contained in this proposal, and we look forward to continued work that will make health reform possible in the future.

While this effort may not have succeeded today, it is NOT the end of the discussion.

This issue isn't going away. Our health care system stills needs to be fixed. Millions of Californians still lack health coverage. People who do have insurance are squeezed daily by insurance companies. For-profit insurance companies are taking billions in profits, on top of the billions they spend on "administration". It's no wonder we can't afford universal health care when we're not spending the health care funds we do have on actual health care.

California's doctors remain committed to health care reform. We have been working on this issue for many years, and will continue to do so as long as it takes to make sure all Californians have access to top-quality health care.

We are hopeful that this effort will pay dividends in the near future, and that all Californians will have the access to top-quality health care that they deserve."

The CMA represents 35,000 California physicians in all modes or practice and specialties.

California Medical Association