Health Care

By Ed Robey

Ed wants to work for comprehensive reform of our Health Care system toward a Universal Health Care system for all Californians. This is one of the reasons the Califonia Nurses Association has endorsed Ed Robey.

"I want to see that quality health care is available and affordable for every Californian. We are the sixth largest economic entity in the world, and like most modern nations should have our own universal health care system. We can't wait for the Federal Government to do it. We should show them how."

Ed Robey

Our current health care system in California is in crisis. 22 percent of our population is uninsured, putting a financial burden on hospitals and clinics. The HMO's and insurance companies have created costly bureaucracies to "contain" health care costs, creating a nightmare for doctors, hospitals and patients alike. We are facing a shortage of nurses and other care providers. And as the population of older Californians steadily increases, the strain on our health care system will increase as well.

The shortage of nurses is especially serious in rural areas. Quality care means nurse to patient ratios that allow quality service. Cutting nurses at the bedside degrades patient care, and does not result in true cost savings.

We need to get to work now, to move from our current "system" toward a Universal Health Care system. I am not alone in this quest. The California Health and Human Services Agency Health Care Options Project has solicited nine proposals for a broad range of ideas for expanding health care coverage. These options include: expanded public programs, employer and/or individual tax credits, subsidies and/or mandates, single payer models, or combination approaches.

Until Universal Health Care is enacted, I would support funding and legislative protection of public health care services and facilities that provide health care to the uninsured. I support prevention and early intervention programs. I would also support health maintenance and wellness programs, as wellness care is always less expensive than illness care.

The time is right for health care reform, and I would very much like to be a part of making it happen.