Page 14 March 9, 2017 EL SEGUNDO HERALD Obamacare from page 3 arguments for a single system is the state could negotiate with hospitals and drug companies for lower prices, driving down health costs statewide. It also addresses a shortage of physicians in networks, according to Lara’s bill. The shortage is less pronounced in populated areas, including the South Bay, and more severe in the mountain and high desert areas. No state in the country uses a single-payer health system, though Vermont came closest in 2014 when voters approved the conversion. When it proved too difficult to finance, lawmakers shelved the plan. California’s fallback to losing Obamacare has pitfalls that will be difficult to overcome, says a leader with the Kaiser Family Foundation. Larry Levitt, a senior vice president at the Kaiser foundation, says that a single-payer system dramatically changes health care in two ways. “Single-payer plans have lots of appeal in their simplicity and ability to control costs,” he said. “But what I think has always held back a move to single-payer is the disruption they create in financing and delivery of care.” Even if this non-traditional healthcare system winds up lowering overall costs to Californians, the single-payer plans look to the public like a “very big tax increase,” Lara added. Lara’s bill is supported by The California Nurses Association. The group supports the underlying goal to create a system that doesn’t exclude anyone and helps relieve patients’ financial burdens. Obamacare supporters, including the California Endowment, say that the national healthcare law achieved some of these goals, though it was far from perfect. Supporters of the Affordable Care Act say the law is far from perfect. Daniel Zingale, a former staff member for Gov. Schwarzenegger, says that the action to save the healthcare law is happening on the ground. Californians who were worried about having their new health coverage stripped away by a repeal have spoken to their congressional representatives in person at town hall meetings and at district offices. House Republicans are reportedly split over whether to repeal-and-replace Obamacare so their constituents keep their plans, or kill it City Council from page 13 C e r t i f i e d a n d L i c e n s e d P r o f e s s i o n a l s handyman BILL’S HOME & APARTMENT MAINTENANCE CONTRACTOR QUALITY at Handyman Prices. We cover everything from A-Z. Bill Henrichon Cell: 310-890-7531 Office: 310-542-3470 billhenrichon@sbcglobal.net Henrichon & Associates Inc. 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Crew, Lawn Service Clean Ups, Tree Trim, Sprinklers, Handyman, etc. Lic# 100085424 altogether. The Central Valley and undocumented children have benefitted greatly, Zingale says. A single-payer system in California could combine the funding from several sources under one state umbrella: Medi-Cal for poor state residents; Medicare, the federal program that covers older adults; and private insurance. Lara admitted in recent interviews the funding is undecided. “I think we’ve reached a tipping point now that we haven’t had before,” he said, explaining the need for a Plan B before Congress, as expected, passes a repeal and the President signs it. Lara’s motivated by the oft-repeated campaign promises by President Trump and House Republicans to wipe the Affordable Care Act from federal law. There have been media reports the new administration is removing positive reviews about Obamacare from federal agency websites in preparation for a repeal. The President has said publicly he favors allowing grown children to remain on their family plans until age 26--the provision that was partially the undoing of Obamacare because the health insurance risk pools were imbalanced. The higher costs to treat previously uninsured Californians and low-income elderly made the CoveredCA plans pricier for everybody in them. Insurers denied their losses on Obamacare policies were passed along to employer and individual plan participants, whose premiums also rose after the healthcare law’s biggest changes took effect in 2014. Healthcare coverage for five million Californians is riding on the outcome of the bill negotiations in Washington, D.C. Obamacare supporters, including Zingale’s staff at the California Endowment, point to the public’s changing attitude toward keeping the healthcare law and turning back repeal efforts. A Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll done in February showed 48 percent of people survey now favor keeping the law, and 65 percent don’t want Medicare shrunk. In February’s survey, 42 percent oppose the law and want it ended. That was down from 46 percent in January, according to the Kaiser Foundation. Half of independents--the and that 13 sworn personnel will be eligible to retire in the next two years. He also spoke of the probable need to staff the department beyond 62 sworn because of additional crime due to the influx of new hotels, retail centers, restaurants and commercial complexes east of Sepulveda. Tavera indicated that future discussions will center on what new positions to staff and which others to restaff. Speaking of Sepulveda, Councilmember Don Brann asked for an update on the potential move to change that street’s name to Pacific Coast Highway and if the El Segundo Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee has taken a position on the matter. City Manager Greg Carpenter replied that the committee is waiting for the results of a survey before announcing its stance. Brann also asked to set up a study committee to recommend what steps the City should take to deal with ever-increasing pension liability. Mayor Pro Tem Drew Boyles reported that he and Mayor Suzanne Fuentes recently attended a Board of Airport Commissioners meeting and continue working to protect El Segundo’s interests in terms of LAX. Fuentes added that she spoke out against the airport’s Landside Access Modernization Program (LAMP). During public communications, Jeff Schodorf commented on behalf of a group of Master Swimmers who joined him at the podium to commend Recreation and Parks and Public Works staff for keeping The Plunge operating. The group presented staff with a large thankyou card that they personally fashioned. Earlier in the meeting, the Council recognized March 11 as California Arbor Day while inviting all citizens to join Tree Musketeers that morning to plant and care for trees in Memory Row and Trees to the sea along Imperial Highway starting at 9:30 a.m. This year is El Segundo’s 30th Arbor Day celebration. Tree Musketeers Youth Manager Sebastian Hanson thanked sponsors and key supporters and said he expects 400 community members to come out for the event. Due to what he described as “obstacles,” only 10 new trees will be planted instead of the 70 initially planned. However, Hanson indicated there will be plenty more to do on Saturday—including removing invasive plants and weeds, pruning trees, and sprucing up the north side of El Segundo to make it more welcoming. Another proclamation noted the dates of March 20-24 as Southern California Aerospace Days in honor of that industry’s “deep roots” in the region as well as the sector’s “current contributions to the communities, economy and residents” of the Southland. It also made note of the importance of preparing to “compete for and win future research, development, production and export components of the next generation aerospace and defense industry.” The final presentation came from the California Society of Finance Officers (CSMFO), which awarded the City its Budget Excellence Award for fiscal year 2016-17. This is the first time El Segundo was so honored and signifies that the City used best management practices in municipal finance to ensure that its budget serves as a policy document, financial plan, operations guide, and communication tools with citizens. Finance Director Joseph Lillio praised his staff and the City as a whole on a “collaborative effort to get this budget done” while looking forward to receiving the award every year going forward. • voting block crucial to the re-election bids of congressman now considering the fate of Obamacare--support President Obama’s healthcare expansion. As Congress debates health coverage repeal vs. reform, more Americans like Obamacare than don’t for the first time. That puts pressure on House Republicans whether to toe the party line or face backlash from voters who might lose their health plans, either because they can’t afford them or no insurers will sell them a policy. Here in California, a third option is on the table: become the first state to merge numerous health plans and try to slow rising costs. •
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