Expanding Healthcare Coverage to All Californians

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Governor Schwarzenegger, Democrats and Republicans in the legislature all have different plans for healthcare reform, involving doctors, hospitals, drug companies, employers, employees and other players--most importantly the insurance companies who provide the funding mechanism right now.  One other plan is different: get rid of insurance and have government provide universal healthcare for every Californian.  How does that stack up against the other proposals? We take a look.

The atmosphere in Sacramento is right this year for action on healthcare reform.  That's according to Herb Schultz, the Governor's point man on the issue, who says there may not be another such opportunity for a decade or more. Democratic leaders of the Assembly and Senate have plans of their own and so do Republicans.  All of them involve the insurance industry, which now provides the funding mechanism for healthcare in America.  Democratic Senator Sheila Kuehl has a plan that does away with insurance company involvement altogether, replacing it with universal healthcare, free to everybody at the point of service, administered by the government.  How does that stack up against the other proposals? We take a look with Kuehl and others.

Guests:

• Sheila Kuehl: California State Senator
• Chris Ohman: President of the California Association of Health Plans
• Marian Mulkey: Senior Program Officer at the California Health Care Foundation

Links:

• Senator Perata's bill on healthcare
• Assembly Speaker Nunez's bill on healthcare
• CalHealthReform.org

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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Air Date

Live:

Produced by

Christian Bordal, Karen Radziner

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A CD copy of Which Way L.A.? is a available by calling 1.888.600.5279.
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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.