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Health Access California
Executive Director of Health Access California, a statewide healthcare, consumer-advocacy coalition
PROFILE
Anthony Wright
Guest
FROM Anthony Wright
To the Point
Obamacare premiums: October surprise? This week the Obama administration announced that more than 11 million consumers in the federal exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act will see their healthcare premiums jump by an average of 25 percent next year. In some states they could even double. As October surprises go, this week’s news should count as a boon to Republicans eager to gut the Obama administration’s prize legacy. But this election isn’t like any other. Guest host Barbara Bogaev explores how faltering health exchanges are playing on the campaign trail, and gets a status report from parts of the country where Obamacare is actually working as planned.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Covered California Here in Los Angeles, we have one of the highest rate of uninsured people in the country. Many will sign up through the Covered California website today, but there are roughly a million more people who will remain uninsured. And the county is trying to figure out exactly what to do with all these people going forward.
Which Way, L.A.?
Obamacare Numbers Look Best in California At a news conference today, Peter Lee announced that 70% of the Californians enrolled in the Affordable Care Act so far found the process was easy. Lee, who's Executive Director of Covered California, said "I really hope this puts to bed the drumbeat of comments about glitches and computer problems. Californians, at CoveredCA.com , enrolling with ease." Lee also announced that 35,000 Californians have enrolled — double the number in any other state and more than the total of 36 states where the federal government is in charge with healthcare.gov .
Which Way, L.A.?
The Affordable Care Act and California Today's Supreme Court decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act means that California could receive $15 billion a year to extend coverage to many of the seven million people now going without health insurance. We hear what it means for patience, the medical industry and the state budget.
Which Way, L.A.?
Votes on the Budget Are Finally Under Way in Sacramento Governor Brown camped out in Assembly Speaker John Perez's office last night to help gather votes for $7.4 billion in budget cuts. The result they passed was "a less healthy, less caring, less secure state." That's according to Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access California . We hear from Wright and from John Myers, Sacramento Bureau Chief for KQED and it's daily program, The California Report.
Which Way, L.A.?
The State Budget and the End of the California Dream Governor Schwarzenegger today signed last week's budget compromise into law, minus $656 million in cuts he said were necessary to balance the measure. He called it "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly."
Which Way, L.A.?
California's Budget Madness Comes to a Close...Sorta Twelve billion dollars in tax increases, $15 billion in spending cuts, $11 billion in borrowing? In the wee hours of this morning, despite the knowledge that as a Republican he would face “dire political ramifications,” State Senator Abel Maldonado of Santa Maria finally said, yes, acknowledging that “the ramifications for the people of California are far much greater.” So, you might think it’s all over. After all the wrangling, it’s still possible the state could run out of money. Crucial parts of the $42 billion deal will have to be approved by the voters.
Which Way, L.A.?
Next Year's Major Battle Is shaping up in Sacramento What costs billions of dollars a year and has something for everybody to hate? Almost any plan for reforming healthcare in California. Governor Schwarzenegger and the Democrats, doctors and hospitals, consumer groups and insurance companies are just some of the players with different ideas about healthcare reform. The first salvo in next year's political shooting match comes from Senate Democrats led by President Pro Tem Don Perata. His plan would mandate that companies cover their employees, and those that did not would have to contribute--along with their workers--to a fund administered by a state agency. Assembly Democrats will be next and Governor Schwarzenegger has plans to make good on a campaign promise. We learn what's proposed and what might be possible.
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To the Point
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.
To the Point
Replacing Obamacare: Now you see it… now you don’t As the Senate deliberates replacing Obmacare, health coverage for millions of people is at stake. There've been no public hearings, and a draft measure won't be made public. Is the House version so unpopular that that Senate is hiding a version that looks much the same?
To the Point
Is the threat from Russia missing from the Russia meddling probe? There's much being made about the Trump administration's possible ties with Russia. But the bottom line is Russia's effort to influence American democracy. Do the President and his aides care enough to take action before voters go back to the polls?
To the Point
Terrorism and tweets, hate speech and murder Just days before an election, Britain is coping with a rash of deadly terrorism, and Prime Minister Theresa May is on the defensive. And again today, President Trump has tweeted criticism of the Mayor of London. Later, a double murder in Portland, Oregon has revealed the ugly past of a supposedly “progressive” city. One immediate question: is “hate speech” protected by the First Amendment?