What is California OneCare? How will itwork?
California OneCare is our name for what some call “Medicare for All”. Everyone pays in and everyone is covered for everything.
The way it works: all health care taxes go into ONE trust fund and all expenses are paid by that ONE trust fund. It’s a true non-profit insurance system which will provide comprehensive benefits for all California residents. It will pay all covered charges to providers, hospitals and pharmacies. There will be no co-pays or deductibles, or caps on annual benefits.
Private health insurers will be eliminated thus reducing administrative cost from 33%* to under 5 %* The money saved by removing private health insurers will help fund health coverage for all California residents and will provide high quality and fully comprehensive health benefits. In California, the legislation to establish a this unique form of universal health care was Senate Bill 810, the California Universal Healthcare Act authored by State senator Mark Leno and co-authored by 44 others legislators. *Details HERE.
How will patients get health care services?
Everyone will choose his or her primary-care doctor and dentist. Primary-care doctors will make referrals to specialists. Together, you and your doctor, not an insurance company, will decide what care is best for you.
How will seniors be affected?
Seniors will have the same benefits they have now and more. They will have full prescription drug, dental, vision, and hearing aid coverage and will no longer need to buy Medi-gap insurance. If they are retired they will not pay into the system.
How will health care be paid for?
Nearly one half of all the money now spent on health care comes from federal and state funding for various public health programs; i.e., Medi-Cal, Medicaid, Healthy Families, etc. This money will all go into the OneCare insurance trust fund. Employers and employees will contribute to the OneCare insurance fund. For most employers and employees who currently pay private health insurance premiums, they will pay less money to the insurance fund. The amount spent on administration will be capped at 5%. Also, the OneCare system will achieve substantial savings through negotiated pharmaceutical prices and bulk purchases of medical goods like wheel chairs and CT Scanners.
Why does California need OneCare
Private insurance companies are helping bankrupt California. We need to control rising health care costs. Our current system is riddled with inefficiencies. Too much is spent on administration, CEO salaries, overpriced prescription drugs, and marketing. The uninsured are forced to get treated in ER’s for care that could be inexpensively managed by general practitioners, causing hospitals and trauma centers to close their doors, and overall medical costs to soar for everyone. Doctors and hospitals waste huge amounts of time (and money) processing paperwork and dealing with denials of coverage by private health insurers.
What services are covered?
Under OneCare, the following services are provided: medical, dental, vision, prescription drugs, mental health, immunizations, laboratory and diagnostic services, surgical and recuperative care, alcohol and drug rehab, ambulance services, transportation to and from doctor or hospital, adult day care, translation and interpretation, chiropractic, acupuncture, case management, dialysis, podiatry, preventative care, hospice, blood products, in-home care, and up to 100 days of skilled nursing.