| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
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| Date: From: Subject: | 8/22/2006 11:09:44 AM Home School Legal Defense Association California--Act Now to Oppose Socialized Medicine Bill |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== HSLDA is passing on this e-mail Alert from Roy Hanson and Jim Davis of Family Protection Ministries (FPM). Although this is not directly a homeschool issue, it will affect every person and family in California. We think it is important enough for you to consider the recommended action steps contained therein. *********************** Roy Hanson's HELP Tree ALERT August 21, 2006 Private and Home Educators of California *********************** Bill: SB 840 as amended - Socialized Medicine Author: State Senator Sheila Kuehl Position: Strongly OPPOSE Status: Passed the California Senate and is in the Assembly for a vote soon. This bill, which has been idle in the California Legislature since January, is now active and is being sent to the Assembly Floor for a vote. Summary of Concerns: SB 840 as amended is an aggressive plan to bring socialized medicine, as promoted by Hillary Clinton, into California. SB 840 will replace private health insurance with a mandatory state-controlled health insurance and service delivery system for every California resident. SB 840 will: 1) force every California resident above poverty level to pay a state insurance premium (hidden tax); 2) destroy the current system of choices of health care coverage; 3) drive up the cost of health care coverage; 4) reduce the availability of health care, forcing some families to go out of state to obtain health care; 5) reduce the quality of available health care; 6) create a new huge government bureaucracy that will make life and death medical decisions; and 7) place all final health care decisions in the hands of a single government board and its commissioner. Additionally under SB 840, highly objectionable services such as abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia could be funded. Mandatory psychiatric exams eventually could become required for everyone as a result of funding from this bill (and later be used against you). ***** ***** ***** ***** Information Included In This E-mail: A. Action Items B. Background Information C. Reasons to Oppose ***** ***** ***** ***** A. Action Items: CALL your Assembly Member in Sacramento and the Governor as soon as possible. Ask them to "Please vote No on SB 840 as amended." You can find the phone numbers and addresses of your state legislators and the Governor, and other contact information by entering your 9 digit ZIP code in HSLDA's Legislative Toolbox at you are unable to locate your legislator using the HSLDA web site, call your county elections or voter registration or registrar of voters office. Notes: * Call as a concerned citizen. This bill affects all families. * Do not disclose the source of this Alert. All bills are available on the internet. * Because e-mails are usually ignored, letters and calls are significantly more effective. * KEEP this Alert as a reference for future HELP Tree Alerts. * Reprint or forward this to your friends, church, school, and group. * Pray for a proper outcome. ***** ***** ***** ***** B. Background Information: * SB 840 would create the "California Health Insurance System" to be administered by an autonomous agency, the "California Health Insurance Agency," under the direction of the "Health Insurance Commissioner" who would be appointed by the Governor. * SB 840 would establish the "California Health Insurance Agency" as the sole primary provider of health insurance coverage for all California residents. * SB 840 would prohibit all current health care service plan contracts or health insurance policies from being sold in California because they would duplicate services provided through the "California Health Insurance Agency." Individual health care service plans or insurance companies would only be able to sell medical or health services in California that the "California Health Insurance Agency" does not provide. ***** ***** ***** ***** C. Reasons to Oppose: 1. Health care is primarily the responsibility of families and individuals, not of the government. 2. Health insurance and health care plans have operated as private for-profit or non-profit enterprises in a competitive free market. These should not be limited or stopped from operating. 3. SB 840 effectively creates a form of taxation in the form of insurance premiums that are to be paid to the state. The state would control how that money is redistributed to pay for health care for anyone who resides in the state. 4. SB 840 will destroy the current level of choices for health care coverage available to Californians as the "California Health Insurance Agency" dictates what health care the state will fund and therefore be available. 5. SB 840 interferes with the right of individuals to fully manage their own medical decisions. For instance, under SB 840, individuals can only obtain services approved by the state, and only by providers approved by the state. 6. Under SB 840, morally objectionable services, such as abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, or mandatory regular psychiatric exams for everyone could be paid for. In addition, some services, such as those that help the disabled, the aged, or infants with congenital conditions could be rationed or eliminated. England and Canada have socialized medicine. In England, the agency that provides guidance on health issues proposed that elderly patients be denied some treatments because of their age (Sam Lester, Health Correspondent, TIMESONLINE, May 6, 2005). Under Canada's health care system, some patients have had to wait so long for prescribed treatment that they either die first or have to seek private treatment in spite of the fact that they have already paid the government for these necessary services (Beth Duff-Brown, AP, March 20, 2005). 7. SB 840 could result in individuals needing to purchase additional coverage for care beyond what the state's plan would provide. This would require the individual to pay into the state's plan and additionally into a private plan. Most people would not be able to afford to pay out of pocket for additional health care or plans and would be stuck with only what the state's plan would cover. 8. Under SB 840, premiums for a state plan are very likely to be significantly higher than premiums for existing private plans, which are of a higher quality and offer more choices. Everyone above poverty level will be subsidizing the hundreds of thousands of low- or non-income individuals who will not be paying for their coverage. 9. SB 840 would allow this new state agency to issue regulations concerning your medical care without any public input or independent review by the Office of Administrative Law (OAL). Current law requires the opportunity for public comment and for OAL review of government generated regulations. 10. Other important issues related to socialized medicine are presented in an article entitled Socialized Medicine: A Scriptural Case Against Legalized Theft at www.childandfamilyprotection.org. ***** ***** ***** ***** Roy Hanson's Home Educators Legislative Phone Tree Private & Home Educators of California P.O. Box 730 Lincoln, CA 95648-0730 Fax: (916) 415-9470 HELP Tree Director P.O. Box 100 Somerset, CA 95684-0100 Fax: (530) 622-4717 ***** ***** ***** ***** The purpose of this communication is to present information and express our position on the issue(s) addressed. We encourage you to research this for yourself and come to your own conclusions. Regardless of your position, we strongly urge you to exercise your constitutional right to express your position to your elected representatives. We have included an example of how we have expressed our position. ******************** DISCLAIMER: This is considered a private and confidential message to HELP Tree Members only. We are not responsible for the accuracy of copies printed, forwarded, or sent by any party other than directly from Private & Home Educators of California. ******************** Family Protection Ministries (FPM) is coordinating work at the capitol in Sacramento through meetings with legislators and other parties, and testifying in committee hearings. We ask our members to coordinate all verbal testimony at any hearing through Roy and Jim by calling them at 916-786-3523. This is necessary to ensure that adequate time is available for testimony from key witnesses. We and FPM jointly continue to monitor this and all other legislation of significance to private homeschoolers in California. ******************** ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> How many news articles did you read this morning over your oatmeal? We live in a world where concise information presented at the right time can make a big difference in the outcome of important legislative efforts. Yet it's tough to keep up with all the issues that affect you. HSLDA does this for you in the areas that affect your homeschool. Our emails and website enable you to take quick, decisive action. Please consider becoming a part of this team. 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