Davis to sign 'historic' health care insurance bill today

[jamesinca]

Davis to sign 'historic' health care insurance bill today
Opponents, already preparing for court, call it disastrous for businesses

Zachary Coile, Chronicle Political Writer Sunday, October 5, 2003

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Gov. Gray Davis, battling to save his political life, plans to sign a controversial health insurance bill today that could expand coverage to more than 1 million uninsured Californians, but is bitterly opposed by state businesses.

The measure -- known by its Senate bill number, SB2 -- would require employers with more than 200 employees to provide health care coverage for the workers and their families by Jan. 1, 2006. Companies with 50 to 199 employees would be required to offer coverage to their employees a year later.

<SNIP>

The measure also has ramifications in Tuesday's recall election. Republican front-runner Arnold Schwarzenegger has opposed the bill, saying it is yet another onerous mandate that Democratic lawmakers are putting on the backs of California companies.

<SNIP>

The law would require employers to pay at least 80 percent of the cost, leaving workers to pay the remaining 20 percent. Contributions for low-wage workers, however, would be capped at 5 percent of their wages. A state board would set limits for deductibles and copayments.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/10/05/BA5739.DTL
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Critics are saying that business will shed jobs to avoid paying, or will leave the state.

[qanda]

1. This doesn't sound like something that will win him any votes.

eom

[Media_Lies_Daily]

2. It will certainly win votes among the million that are uninsured.

[reprobate]

3. Unfortunately, they aren't the people that usually vote.

[Le Taz Hot]

4. You are forgetting

that this type of election has never been done before. Throw out your political "conventional wisdom" talking points -- they don't apply here. If you have any doubts, look at the polls in the last few weeks -- they're swinging wildly. As of today, the recall question is now a statistical dead heat.

Now, NO MORE BAD VIBES!!!!!!!!

[SharonAnn]

6. But now that they have something (insurance) and Arnold will

take it away, they might actually come out and vote to keep it.

Future promises to deliver insurance aren't quite as powerful as current plans to eliminate it.

[w4rma]

5. It will turn out the Democratic base who are the majority of folks voting

for our side in *this* election, unlike a regular election. It's part of a GOTV strategy and it helps keep more Californians healthy.