Strong Victory for Measure A-ACMC will Survive!

How sweet it is-71% of voters in Alameda County understood the importance of safety net health services for the uninsured and underinsured, or they developed recognition of the Alameda County Medical Center's services and how imperiled they are, to add a 1Ž2 cent sales tax to their purchases. This reflects both the hard work of hundreds of volunteers, as well as an increasing public awareness of the tragedy of our nation's health care "system." Press about the recent months' long grocery strike has highlighted the truth that even workers with solid union jobs are facing takeaways that put medical coverage out of reach.

Special credit goes to Supervisor Nate Miley, for keeping the vision of a dedicated funding source to assure ACMC's survival, and instructing his Field Director, Joe DeVries, to follow this vision. They called the first meeting that eventually evolved into Measure A in July, 2002, with Vote Health and 30 other health care "players" discussing how to expand health care to all in our county. Along the way, federal and state cutbacks/deficits changed the dialogue into how to rescue the existing safety net from total disaster, and funding possibilities were explored. The actual language for the measure, hammered out with all five supervisors and the Blue Ribbon Task Force, wasn't settled on until late November. Knowing that the holidays would prevent serious organizing from taking place until January 5th, supporters had the daunting task of raising funds and educating the public in eight weeks. The vast majority of folks didn't recognize the name "Alameda County Medical Center," so we had a lot of ground to cover!

Vote Health's special contribution to the ballot campaign was to help organize, with SEIU 616 staffer and VH exec member Brad Cleveland at the helm, the grassroots campaign. We hired a part-time organizer and provided essential funding for campaign literature designed for Vote Health and 616 members to distribute (with financial help from 616 and C.N.A). Also contributing greatly to the campaign were Supervisors Keith Carson and Alice Lai-Bitker with their staffs, and above all Supervisor Gail Steele, who co-chairs the Blue Ribbon Task Force that created Measure A, and who organized a "human chain event" in Hayward that advertised the campaign to thousands of rush hour vehicles. Many California Physicians Alliance doctors, ACMC staff (which raised over $126,000!), Consortium (which contributed $25,000) clinics staff, and Congregations Organizing for Renewal (COR) all worked hard along side countless other volunteers to push Measure A well over the top. SEIU Local 616, along with 535 and their regional organization, contributed $153,000 to the campaign.

A "they said it couldn't be done" factor was a host of other "tax ourselves" items on local ballots. Many believed this would result in the knee-jerk reaction of voting no on everything, rather than people making decisions that involved studying a lot to make an informed choice. Also, SEIU Local 250 decided not to support the measure, having promised money, staff support and phone banking resources during earlier stages of designing it.

What's next for ACMC:

• Cambio Health Solutions is the "turnaround" organization hired for 18 months to help the executive team streamline operations, reduce costs and increase revenues. ACMC administration and the Board of Supervisors must work together to implement changes and, as Vote Health and others will strongly advocate, find ways to and expand them as soon as possible. We need to make sure that cuts aren't proposed just because the sales tax receipts won't come in until November. It would be a real slap in the face of voters if services were to be curtailed after they voted to tax themselves to save the public health network!
• Many are calling for the Hospital Authority to be replaced with a county health commission, similar to SF's.
• There is a 2008 earthquake retrofit requirement looming, a financially overwhelming prospect to every under-code hospital in the state.
• With Nate Miley's leadership, there is a completed study of the 100 acres owned by the county on which Fairmont Hospital sits. We want to see a plan to rebuild it and maintain a county-run skilled nursing facility, a rehabilitation unit, as well as consider replacement of services that were closed on July 1, 2003.

Present and Future Organizing: At the campaign debriefing a few days after our momentous ballot victory, it was universally acknowledged that our coalition of Measure A activists cannot stop now, with so much left to do to assure access to quality healthcare in Alameda County. We have enormous energy and a new credibility that we want to harness to make sure that the County and Medical Center Administration take the steps necessary to meet the new expectations of voters who are willing to tax themselves for healthcare. There will be a meeting soon to get as many people on board for this discussion as possible.

The language of Measure A calls for the formation of a citizen oversight committee that will guide the process by which the new funding is distributed to community clinics and private hospitals that provide services to the uninsured. We must safeguard the funds for ACMC also, to make sure that they are used for services, not to "backfill" previous loans.

The State Health Care Scene: Health care advocates' struggle to win the broad reforms needed to meet the health care needs of all Californians, and the ultimate goal of quality, affordable health care for all (as outlined in SB921), was dealt a blow by the defeat of Proposition 56. It would have stopped the ongoing cycle of late and irresponsible budgets. SB921 will still require a 2/3 vote by the state legislature rather than the 55% we hoped for with Prop. 56.

It is with regret that we accept Tim Saunders' resignation from the Vote Health Executive Committee. Tim's health problems prohibit him from regularly attending.

Newsletter committee:
Nancy M. Friedman, Brad Cleveland, Kay Eisenhower
Our thanks to CA Nurses Association for their help in producing this newsletter.