Health Insurance for All Californians

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Governor Schwarzenegger wants all Californians required to buy health insurance.  Health plans would prohibit insurance companies from rejecting applicants for age or medical condition.

Governor Schwarzenegger today announced a plan to require all Californians to have health insurance, a proposal to fix what he calls a "broken healthcare system." Those who could not afford insurance would be helped by the state, and insurance companies would not be allowed to reject anyone because of age or medical condition. Today's plan may be ambitious, but it comes just a day after another proposal, which could do harm to some of the same people the medical plan is supposed to help.  The Governor wants a rollback of welfare payments, including a cutoff to tens of thousands of children whose parents don't meet certain requirements. We hear more on a plan the Governor says "will make history," and ask if cuts in welfare would take away with one hand what he says he'll give with the other?

Guests:

• Tom Chorneau: Reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle
• Jamie Court: President, Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights
• Chris Ohman: President of the California Association of Health Plans
• Evan Halper: Reporter for the Los Angeles Times

Links:

• LA Times article on health insurers who deny policies based on jobs, medications
• Chorneau's article on Schwarzenegger's proposed welfare cuts
• Halper’s article on Governor's proposed rollback of the welfare system
• Cal-Health Act (Keith Richman's AB 1671, 2005)

Host

Warren Olney

Considered the dean of Southern California broadcast journalists, Warren tackles the issues Southern Californians care about. Expanding that concept, To the Point deals with issues of national concern and is on air in most major metropolitan markets across the country. On any day, you’ll hear a fast-paced, news-based talk show featuring multiple perspectives on a single major issue, with Newsmaker and Reporters Notebook features, as well. 

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Produced by

Karen Radziner, Christian Bordal

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Underwriters

Which Way L.A.? is made possible in part by the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, the Nathan Cummings Foundation, and the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation, which supports study and research into policy issues of the Los Angeles region.