About a year ago, right after I watched Michael Moore’s Sicko, I wrote this: “With my Blue Cross insurance, I’d always considered myself more or less ‘safe.’”
Now I’ve graduated, and am discovering I could be “uninsurable.” More on that after I see where the chips fall (and don’t worry — I can get ‘Gap’ insurance — like COBRA but for ex-students — for six months, at least), but the experience is both freaking me out and — on a more positive note — motivating me to get more involved in the health care fight.
What’s happened since the health care rallies and stuff that took place right after Sicko? Um, not a whole lot, from I can tell — but things are suddenly starting to happen now!
Coming up for vote in the state assembly in the next few days is Senate Bill 840, Senator Kuehl’s California Universal Health Care Act. This bill proposes full, universal healthcare for ALL Californians, replacing the thousands of health plans out there with one nonprofit healthcare plan.
So make sure your state assemblymember votes YES on SB840 by calling or writing her / him! My assemblymember, Julia Brownley, is thankfully already signed on as a co-author of the bill; you can see if yours is also a co-author by checking the list at the bottom of this page.
SB840’s already passed in the State Senate — so once it passes in the Assembly, it goes to Schwarzenegger’s desk. The bad news — Schwarzenegger’s vetoed SB840 before — and has said he’ll do it again.
Which is why SB840 advocate group OneCareNow’s trying to raise money to run an ad in the Sacramento Bee that’ll hopefully convince Schwarzenegger to reconsider — and hopefully get more Californians involved in the fight.
I’m contributing $25. But if you’ve got more money to spare — 220+ of the top donors will get their name in the ad!
If you can’t give money, get involved with the bill at OneCareNow and volunteer your time and energy instead.
Update, 9/3/08: The bill’s now made it through the Cali legislature and ready for Schwarzenegger’s signature! Tell Schwarzenegger to give me (and all other Californians) health insurance.
Do you know if I can do something like this with Alabama? Surely I can.
Great post and thanks for sharing!
Comment by Christina — August 21, 2008 @ 3:21 pm
Did you see the Bunk study stating 2/3 of doctors in America want National Health Care. The doctors who did this study also conducted one in 2002 and found that the majority of doctors did not want national health care, the problem with this is that the 2 question surveys drastically differ in their 2nd question. I found this article, 60% of Doctors Surveyed Oppose Switching to a National Health Care Plan, It’s worth a read.
Comment by Matt — August 22, 2008 @ 5:18 am
Thank you for writing about this issue! As databases for insurance companies get more sophisticated, more of us are being rejected by insurance companies for a wider range of reasons. As fewer employers provide health insurance, that means more of us are uninsured. And that’s just talking about middle income folks. Once we add those who can’t afford insurance because of cost, that’s a big group of people ignored by our current healthcare system.
I have some resources that might come in handy for others in a similar situation:
-MR. MIP – Guaranteed coverage in California for those with “pre-existing conditions,” a term that’s widening to include all sorts of things.
http://www.mrmib.ca.gov/MRMIB/MRMIP.html
-Healthwise Advantage Card, from Careington
Member Services: (800) 457-0911
http://www.healthwiseadvantagecard.com
*If you’re uninsured, this card allows you to get a discount when you go to the doctor (so you don’t have to be restricted to free clinics).
-Another service that comes in handy without insurance is the prescription card:
Association Rx Card Program
http://www.associationrxcard.com
(800) 733-2242
*Gives a discount on prescriptions for those who are uninsured — or if your insurance doesn’t include prescription coverage.
Comment by Kathryn — August 23, 2008 @ 10:57 am