SEIU Applauds Senator Kuehl's SB 840
Posted on : 2007-02-27 | Author : SEIU United Healthcare Workers West News
Category : PressRelease

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Service Employees International Union today applauded Senator Sheila Kuehl on SB 840, legislation that would provide high quality health coverage to all Californians and that would contain growing healthcare costs. "SB 840 is a vision of a better way of providing health care coverage. It's a vision we share," said Sal Rosselli, President of SEIU California State Council and SEIU United Healthcare Workers West, "and we are endorsing it again."

"Like most Californians," said Rosselli, "SEIU members know that our health insurance is not what it used to be. It is changing all around us. Costs are going up, benefits are going down, employers change health plans and people have to change their doctors. All of it creates a lot of insecurity for
people." SEIU endorsed SB 840 last year, and for years SEIU has advocated at the
national level to open up the conversation on healthcare reform to comprehensive measures such as SB 840, which is based on a single-payer model. In California, SEIU has also historically supported a variety of more immediately achievable healthcare reforms, such as expanding public programs, strengthening employer contributions, and protecting consumers. "SB 840 is a really important part of this historic debate," said Jeanine Meyer Rodriguez, Issue Campaign Director for SEIU California State Council. "It provides a long-term vision for complete reform, and that's an important
thing to have on the table as we evaluate, debate, and work together on the range of proposals that will move the ball forward in the immediate future." "The most important thing for SEIU is to achieve reform that will benefit all our members," said Rodriguez. "In essence, that means we have to think
about all Californians, since some SEIU members have good health care but are worried about rising costs; some members have plans that make health care unaffordable, and some don't have any coverage at all."

SEIU has 650,000 members in California, over 300,000 of whom are employed in delivering healthcare. Ironically, many healthcare workers themselves lack access to quality, affordable healthcare.
SEIU United Healthcare Workers West
CONTACT: Jeanine Meyer Rodriguez, +1-916-712-2914