[GPCA Updates] Media Release: ‘Scrooge' Democratic Party healthcare plan doesn't show much charity...

[Green Party of California Updates]

                 News Advisory
           THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA
              http://www.cagreens.org


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, December 19, 2006



‘Scrooge' Democratic Party healthcare plan
doesn't show much charity this holiday
season, notes Green Party of California

SACRAMENTO (December 19, 2006) – The Democratic Party's plan disclosed this
past week to help those without healthcare is more "Scrooge-like" than
charitable during this holiday, and won't really help most Californians in
need, said the Green Party of California today.

In fact, in an analysis by the California Universal Health Care Organizing
Project, the plan suggested last week by Senate President Pro Tem Don
Perata and Kaiser Permanente leave millions of Californians
"out-in-the-cold," according Don Bechler, a member of the Green Party and
Chair/lead organizer of the California Universal Health Care Organizing
Project.

Governor Schwarzenegger is expected to outline his health care proposal in
his State of the State speech in January.  

Bechler said his organization will be analyzing each plan using the
following four criteria: 

 *	Will it insure every Californian?
 *	Will health care coverage be comprehensive?
 *	Will it save us money?
 *	Is it publicly accountable?

So far, Perata's plan, Kaiser's and Schwarzenegger's (from advance reports)
would fail the first question.

"At this time of year, we would have hoped that lawmakers, and the Governor
– who have very good health plans – would not be so very Scrooge-like in
their proposals. Where is their compassion for the nearly seven million
unable to get health care?" said Larry Cafiero, the Green Party candidate
for Insurance Commissioner in November.

SB840, the California Health Insurance Reliability Act, which passed the
legislature earlier this year and was vetoed by the governor, is the
standard by which all other plans should be measured, according to Cafiero
and Bechler's organization.