Don McCanne, MD: California financial crisis, health students, and single payer

Brown Unveils Budget Plan With Extensive Spending Reductions

California Healthline
January 11, 2011

(Gov. Jerry) Brown’s proposed budget would reduce spending by about $135.7 million by enacting changes to Healthy Families, California’s Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Brown’s budget also proposes $1.7 billion in cuts to Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program.

http://www.californiahealthline.org/articles/2011/1/11/brown-unveils-budget-plan-with-extensive-spending-reductions.aspx

And…

Labor is out-organized at budget protest

By Michael J. Mishak
Los Angeles Times
January 10, 2011

If today’s budget protests are any indication, organized labor needs to get, well, organized.

After Gov. Jerry Brown unveiled his budget, a handful of labor leaders gathered on the north steps of the Capitol to talk about the concerns of workers and recipients of In-Home Supportive Services and other programs that would see steep cuts. They didn’t get very far.

George Popyack, of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, was explaining how shifting state services to local governments could compromise quality when he was drowned out by hundreds of students descending on the steps for a separate demonstration in support of single-payer healthcare. Reporters and a camera crew turned to observe the students, who were chanting through bullhorns and banging drums.

“Well, we just lost the camera,” Popyack said.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2011/01/if-todays-budget-protests-are-any-indication-organized-labor-needs-to-get-well-organized-after-gov-jerry-brown-unvei.html

For report on the single payer rally by Erica Mu of KALW (audio and transcript):
http://kalwnews.org/audio/2011/01/10/could-single-payer-be-future-healthcare-california_782712.html

California Health Professional Student Alliance (CaHPSA):
http://www.cahpsa.org/CaHPSA/Lobby_Day.html

Comment:

By Don McCanne, MD

California’s budget crisis is a disaster. The draconian budget cuts will especially impact the state’s health and human services programs, including Medi-Cal and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. The good news is that California’s health professional students are not going to put up with it. They showed up by the hundreds to demand the enactment of a single payer system.

The future of our health care system is in good hands.

Re-posted with permission from pnhp.org.