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April 25, 2005 
VOL.
43, NO. 8Oakland,
CA
Congregations join legal push for health insurance for all children
By Nancy Westlund
Catholic Herald staff
Local activists from throughout the East Bay joined
thousands of fellow Californians this month in Sacramento to launch a
campaign for children’s health coverage.
Leaders from Congregations Organizing for Renewal (southern Alameda County),
Berkeley Organizing Congregations for Action, and Oakland Community Organizations
were present when Assemblywoman Wilma Chan and state Senator Martha Escutia
introduced new legislation for health coverage.
During a press conference held at the capitol on April 13, Chan, (D-Oakland)
and Escutia (D-Norwalk) presented a bill that would provide affordable
health insurance for all children living in California.
The California Healthy Kids legislation (SB437) and (AB772) provides for
a multi-year plan that would enhance current publicly funded state programs,
such as Healthy Families and Medi-Cal for Children, to make it easier
for families not insured to enroll and keep their children covered.
The legislation is jointly sponsored by 100% Campaign, a coalition of
children’s advocacy organizations, and PICO California community
organizing network.
COR, BOCA and OCO are all members of PICO, which has headquarters in Oakland.
Catholic parishes are active in all three community organizations.
Chan said the legislation not only is the right thing to do for thousands
of uninsured children, it is the fiscally responsible thing to do.
“If a child does not have access to health insurance, they may end
up in the emergency room with a life threatening situation which is not
only catastrophic for the child but costs the state hundreds of thousands
of dollars for emergency treatment,” she said.
“This bill is not only essential to keep our children healthy, but
it is a common sense approach at a time when we’re having budget
deficits.”
In January the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research released data showing
that nearly nine million of California’s 10 million children now
have health insurance. Among those denied coverage was Nancy Marquez,
18, a student at San Francisco State. Marquez spoke emotionally at the
press conference of her experience as an immigrant to California from
Mexico.
“I can honestly say I truly believe most of the pets of people in
this room probably received better medical care than I have. I couldn’t
afford to get sick,” she said. “I think that it is nothing
but the grace of God that got me here today.”
