Hillary Clinton Campaign Press Release - Clinton Campaign Announces "California Impact Report" Of Hillary's New Health Care Plan

Hillary's American Health Choices Plan Will Cover 6.6 million Uninsured Californians; End Insurance Company Discrimination

Today, the California Hillary for President Campaign released a state report that documents how Hillary Clinton's American Health Choices Plan would benefit Californians in the Golden State.

"Families across California are suffering under a burdensome health care system that makes it nearly impossible to afford health insurance," said Senator Clinton. "I want to change that and make quality health care affordable. My plan, the Americans Health Choices Plan, will make insurance accessible to the 6.6 million Californians that currently don't have insurance and it will put an end to insurance discrimination on the basis of chronic or pre-existing conditions."

Under Senator Clinton's plan, the 6.6 million Californians who have no health insurance - including 1.18 million children - will finally receive quality, affordable health care. California, the most populous state in the U.S., with the highest number of uninsured citizens, has seen a 10.4% increase in the number of uninsured since President Bush took office [Census, 2007].

"Health care reform is priority one in California. Senator Clinton's leadership on this issue is one of the reasons she is so strong in this state. As we continue to promote accessible, affordable health care in California, we will continue to look to Senator Clinton's responsible approach at the national level," said California Assembly speaker Fabian Nunez.

California residents will benefit from lower costs and improved quality under Senator Clinton's plan. Like families across the country, California residents have been squeezed by skyrocketing health costs-family premiums are up 69 percent since 2000 [HHS, 2006]. And according to a recent estimate by the Business Roundtable, AARP and SEIU, Senator Clinton's plan to institute a paperless health information technology system could save up to $165 billion per year-or $2200 for a typical family.

"Senator Clinton's Health Choices Plan gives Californians - individuals and groups - many choices, and would resolve the problems of the many conflicting proposals before the legislature," said Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally (D-Compton), Chair, California State Assembly Committee on Health.

Under her plan, all Americans will have choices. They can keep their current insurance, choose a new private plan or take part in a public plan like Medicare. Insurance will be portable and safe from discrimination on the basis of chronic or pre-existing conditions. For more information about Hillary Clinton's health care plan, please visit www.hillaryclinton.com/health care .

"As a local health commissioner in a county implementing universal coverage, I believe Hillary's plan has addressed all of the issues raised during the health care reform debate over the last 15 years. It's universal, it's affordable and it's reliable. That's what the American people want and need," said Catherine Dodd, RN, PhD of San Francisco.

"Hillary Clinton's American Health Choices Plan will address many of the priority concerns about health care in California and across the country. With her plan, every man, woman and child will be assured quality and affordable care, and nurses are ready to help make that a reality." -- Mary Foley, RN and Past-President of the American Nurses Association

On Monday, September 17, Hillary Clinton unveiled the third part of her plan to ensure that all Americans have affordable, quality health insurance. Her American Health Choices Plan will provide quality, affordable health care to all Americans - including the 6.6 million uninsured California residents and the tens of thousands of California workers with coverage who fear they could be one pink slip away from losing their health coverage. [1][1] For California residents with health insurance, the plan builds on the current system to give businesses and their employees greater choice of health plans - including keeping the one they have - while lowering cost and improving quality.

Quality, Affordable Coverage for ALL California Workers and Families

The American Health Choices Plan will ensure quality, affordable health care for all Americans by lowering costs, improving quality, and providing new choices for health coverage:

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• If you are one of the 19.75 million California residents that are currently covered by an employer-sponsored or individual plan [2][2] , Senator Clinton's plan provides you with flexibility and choice-you can keep the plan that you have, you can choose from a menu of quality private plans just like those offered to Members of Congress, or you can opt for a public plan option similar to Medicare.
• If you are one of the 6.6 million California residents that have no health insurance-including 1.18 million children-Senator Clinton's plan will finally ensure that you can get quality, affordable health care. [3][3] The most populous state in the U.S., with the highest number of uninsured citizens, California has seen a 10.4% increase in the number of uninsured since President Bush took office. Senator Clinton's plan will reverse this trend by providing new refundable tax credits to help cover the cost of high-quality health coverage for all California residents. Those credits will guarantee that securing quality health care never becomes a crushing burden for California families, by guaranteeing that premiums never rise above a certain percentage of family income.
• Hispanics make up 35% of California's population and 58% of California's uninsured. [4][4] Latinos are the least likely of any ethnic group in America to say that have seen a doctor, a dentist, or received prescription medicines in the last 12-months. [5][5] Language and cultural differences can pose obstacles to receiving necessary health care. Hillary's plan provides $50 million in federal funding for the development of culturally and linguistically competent clinical care programs, to ensure that our health care providers can communicate with their patients and have training and skills to fully understand and respect cultural differences in the patients they serve. The plan addresses diversity and cultural competency in the health care workforce by providing opportunities and incentives to encourage greater diversity in our health care workforce through recruitment initiatives, scholarships and loan-forgiveness programs.
• If you are one of the 3.3 million California seniors on Medicare, Senator Clinton's plan will retain your coverage while making prescription drugs more affordable and easier to obtain.
• If you are one of the 6.1 million California residents receiving public insurance, Senator Clinton's plan will fix the holes in the safety net to ensure that the most vulnerable populations receive affordable, quality care.

Lower Costs and Greater Security for California Families

All California residents will benefit from lower costs and greater security under Senator Clinton's plan. Like families across the country, California residents have been squeezed by skyrocketing health costs-family premiums are up 69% since 2000. [6][6] Senator Clinton has a comprehensive plan to reduce health care costs by modernizing our health care infrastructure that will result in tangible savings for California families. According to a recent estimate by the Business Roundtable, AARP and SEIU, Senator Clinton's plan to institute a paperless health information technology system could save $165 billion per year-or $2200 for a typical family.

In addition, Senator Clinton will lower costs and increase security by putting an end to insurance company discrimination. Today in America, insurance companies spend tens of billions of dollars per year figuring out how to avoid costly beneficiaries. Senator Clinton's plan creates new standards that all insurers must follow to ensure that no American is ever again discriminated again by being denied coverage, refused renewal of an insurance policy, unfairly priced out of the market, or charged excessive insurance premiums. Health plans will compete on cost and quality rather than avoiding patients who need insurance the most-ending discrimination and putting money in families wallets.

Lower Costs and Increased Competitiveness for California Businesses

Senator Clinton recognizes that rising health care costs are affecting the ability of California businesses to compete in the global marketplace and create good, high-paying jobs here in the U.S. Her American Health Choices Plan makes health care more affordable for businesses by ending cost-shifting, increasing insurance options, providing relief for retiree health care costs, and by assuring quality and value in our health care system.

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• Lower Costs and Shared Responsibility for California's Large Employers: Senator Clinton's American Health Choices Plan makes health care more affordable for businesses by ending cost-shifting, increasing insurance options, and assuring quality and value in our health care system. Since every American will have health insurance coverage under the plan, businesses will no longer be required to pay the hidden health care "tax" of financing health care services to the uninsured. In addition firms will have more options-they may continue providing health care coverage through existing arrangements, or may purchase coverage for employees through the new Health Choices Menu. In return, the plan will require large firms to provide health insurance or contribute to the cost of the system.
• New Tax Credit for California Small Business: Recognizing that small businesses are a driving force in new job creation, the Clinton plan provides financial incentives for small businesses to purchase health insurance coverage for their employees. Many small businesses in California are doing their part-44% provide health care coverage for their employees, which is just above the national average. Yet health premiums for California small businesses are growing at a particularly alarming rate-up 70% since 2000. The American Health Choices Plan recognizes the pressure these small businesses face, and provides a new tax credit to help offset the cost of providing coverage. For the 44% of small firms that currently offer coverage, the new tax credit will help them continue coverage, and for the 56% who don't, the credit will make it more attractive than ever before to provide health care for their employees.
• Retiree Health Legacy Initiative: For employers with workforces that face unusually high health care costs due to a high ratio of retirees, the American Health Choices Plan will provide a tax credit for qualifying private and public retiree health plans to offset a significant portion of catastrophic expenditures that exceed a certain threshold.