Overview
California’s health care costs are out of control. Insurance costs too much, squeezing working Californians who see their premiums increasing faster than their wages, and hurting businesses that do the right thing and cover their employees. The costs we pay are set to double over the next eight years. But paying more doesn’t get us care that’s any better, with insurers dropping and refusing to cover patients, and discriminating against the sick.
Insurers Fighting Change
We’re working to rein in those rising costs and stop insurance industry abuses. As public outrage grows, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to finally win the changes we need. CALPIRG supports the plan President Obama’s put forward to make coverage more affordable and accessible. But the insurers and drug companies are lobbying hard for their interests, trying to water it down and keep costs high. After all, the inflated costs we pay go straight into the HMOs’ pockets. Insurers and drug companies prosper while consumers, small business, and America’s economy suffer from spiraling health care costs.
California Leads the Way
California has a critical role to play. Our state has key Congressional leaders who can be champions for change. CALPIRG has a proven track record of organizing the support necessary to overcoming powerful opposition, and we’ve protected Californians' health by getting unsafe medicine off the market and getting toxics out of toys. Now, working together, we can win comprehensive reform to fix our health care, by:
1. Preventing insurers from discriminating against the sick. We’re working to get rid of “pre-existing conditions” forever, by requiring insurers to take all comers and offer the same fair rate to everyone, sick and healthy alike.
2. Cutting the red tape. We’ll simplify the paperwork insurers and providers send each other, reducing the $10 billion dollars California spends on billing every year. Another priority is to set efficiency standards for insurers that would require them to reduce administrative costs and deliver better value for enrollees’ premium dollars.
3. Creating a public health insurance option: we’re fighting to give Californians the option of a public health insurance plan. Besides offering affordable coverage for those without access to job-based coverage, the public plan will provide real competition, forcing insurers to keep their costs low and provide high-quality coverage.
