November, 2002

State of the Art Telecommunications Comes to ACMC
Through the hard work of the statewide health advocacy organization Health Access, the Alameda County Medical Center will soon begin an exciting and much needed translation system...

SINGLE PAYER LEGISLATIVE CAMPAIGN
While Senator Sheila Kuehl and Health Care for All-California Legislative Director Judy Spelman are writing Single Payer legislation for introduction in the California Senate early next year, Vote Health's Single Payer Committee have been preparing to promote this legislation...

Updates (or Why We Need Single Payer)

Bush's Plan Doesn't Ease Specialty Care Waits
Toward the top of Vote Health's list of needed improvements to county health care services is addressing the 3-6 month waits to see specialists for diagnoses and care...

Newsletter committee:
Nancy M. Friedman, Sue Bergman

September, 2002

Victory for Fairmont!
The people who use Fairmont Hospital Campus services for almost 50,000 inpatient days and 50,000 outpatient visits per year can rest a bit easier...

Noted State Senator Steps Forward To Champion Single Payer Legislation
On August 9th, representatives of 30-plus statewide organizations met in Sacramento and decided the time is right to introduce single payer health care legislation in the California Legislature in 2003...

Updates (or Why We Need Single Payer)
On August 9th, representatives of 30-plus statewide organizations met in Sacramento and decided the time is right to introduce single payer health care legislation in the California Legislature in 2003...

Hotel and Restaurant Employees Update
Ten to fifteen Vote Health members marched in support of Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees...

Newsletter committee:
Nancy M. Friedman, Sue Bergman
Our thanks to CA Nurses Association for their help in producing this newsletter.

July, 2002

New Campaign for Single Payer
Health Care for All-California is about to launch a resolution campaign to increase support for single payer throughout the state...

Updates
Single payer activists in Oregon submitted 98,001 signatures for the Oregon Comprehensive Health Care Finance Act, Initiative #27, to the state elections office this month - 46% more than the required number to get on the ballot for November 5th...

August 1st Action to Support Family Health Coverage!
Approximately 1000 union members working at four East Bay hotels - the Claremont, Oakland City Center Marriot, and the Holiday Inns of Emeryville and Oakland - are facing major health plan takeaways in their latest contract bargaining...

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

June, 2002

Join Us at County Budget Hearings on Health Care
The annual county budget hearings begin June 17th. The focus on health care...

Single Payer Movement's Renewed Vitality!
Currently there is an increased interest and energy within the single payer movement for a variety of reasons...

Updates

Answer to Severe Budget Cuts -- Tax the Richest!
A wide variety of organizations around the state are being more creative than Governor Davis about how to close the enormous budget deficit...

Newsletter committee:
Nancy M. Friedman, Beatriz Quezada, Sue Bergman
Our thanks to CA Nurses Association for their help in producing this newsletter.

May, 2002

A Cliff-Hanger-Will Medical Center Close the Fairmont SNF?
For a few moments at the April 23rd County Board of Supervisors' meeting, it seemed that maybe the Alameda County Medical Center (ACMC) would get the $2 million it needs...

Coalition to Save Fairmont Campaign Events

Health Care Coalition Asks County for Budget Details
Every year about this time Vote Health comes together with other community, union and health care agency members...

Proposed $55 Million Increase in Administrative Fees Harms CA's Health Care Safety Net
Governor Davis's proposed 2002-03 budget increases the so-called administrative fee in the Medi-Cal Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program by $55 million...

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

April, 2002 Newsletter
HEALTH ACCESS UPDATE

CHILD HEALTH PROGRAM SAVED
Today, Tuesday, April 2nd, the Department of Health Services has been directed by Governor Gray Davis to save the state CHDP program...

SENATE BUDGET COMMITTEE VOTES ON HEALTH CUTS
Yesterday, Monday, April 1st, a key Senate budget committee made tough decisions on health care funding...

Kids health program on danger list
Advocates are fighting the governor's plan to use the funds for deficit reduction...

Newsletter committee:
Nancy M. Friedman, Sue Bergman, Julie Hawthorne, Dan Hodges, Margot Smith, Kevin Reilly, CNA Staff

March, 2002

Run-off for County Supervisor Keeps Health Care at the Forefront
The primary election for County Supervisor in Alameda County District 3 ended in a run-off between incumbent Supervisor Alice Lai-Bitker (42.5%) and Mayor of the City of Alameda, Ralph Appezzato (46.3%)...

Vote Health to Alliance for Health: Establish an Indigent Care Fund Now!
Vote Health and SEIU Local 616 organized a delegation to attend the Alameda Alliance for Health meeting on February 28th...

Governor Davis Plans To Eliminate CHDP
In an effort to close the budget deficit, Governor Davis is proposing eliminating CHDP funding and enrolling families in the Healthy Families Program (HFP)...

Newsletter committee:
Nancy M. Friedman, Sue Bergman, Julie Hawthorne, Dan Hodges, Margot Smith, Kevin Reilly, CNA Staff

February, 2002

Eighty Concerned Community Members Attend Save Fairmont Hospital Meeting
On February 13th, approximately 80 people attended a Save Fairmont Campaign meeting sponsored by Vote Health and SEIU Local 616...

Report From Health Care Options Proposals Symposium
The Health Care Options Project symposium in Oakland, on February 7, was a big occasion for single payer supporters...

Leaflet the movie John Q
about a father who takes over a hospital when his son is denied care by his HMO...

Will the Med Center be forced to cut services?
The Alameda County Medical Center Board of Trustees still has an $8 million deficit for fiscal year 2001-2002...

HEALTH CARE CONSUMERS SPEAK OUT FOR SINGLE PAYER AT PRESS CONFERENCE
While policy presentations were being made inside at the Health Care Options (HCOP) Symposium in Oakland, community members participated in a Vote Health-organized press conference to tell of their experiences with the current health care system and the urgent need for a single payer health care system...

Newsletter committee:
Nancy M. Friedman, Sue Bergman, Julie Hawthorne, Dan Hodges, Margot Smith, Kevin Reilly, CNA Staff

January, 2002

SINGLE PAYER FINALLY GETS ITS DAY IN COURT AND LOOKS GREAT!
Although the final results of the Health Care Options Project (HCOP) won't be out for another week, preliminary analysis by the Lewin Group is showing that a single payer health care system in California could provide every resident with comprehensive, high quality health care from cradle to grave...

ACMC Trustees To Tackle Budget Deficit at January 28 Meeting
The ACMC Finance Committee reported that the Medical Center's operating deficit will reach $15 - 17 million for fiscal year 2001-02...

Safe Staffing Delayed
The state has failed to meet its January 1st deadline for implementation of AB 394...

Governor Davis Announces Budget Cuts; We Say No Cuts to Health Care
Vote Health joins with other health advocates to oppose the following proposed cuts...

We welcome new Organizer/Administrative Assistant Beatriz Quezada!

OB and Peds Clinic Closure Protested
The Alameda County Medical Center is considering a highly controversial plan that would reduce certain prenatal and pediatric services now offered at Highland Hospital...

Newsletter committee:
Nancy M. Friedman, Dan Hodges, Margot Smith, Kevin Reilly, Terry Hill