Current Programs

HEALTH ACCESS CALIFORNIA

Legislative Advocacy: Representing health consumers in the state legislature, and developing health policies. Sponsoring and advancing key bills so consumers can have confidence that care and coverage will be there when they need it. Lead contact: Beth Capell

HEALTH ACCESS FOUNDATION

Budget and Legislative Research: Monitoring developments on budget and legislation. Drafting timely updates, fact sheets, and research reports on budget, legislation, and other policy developments. Lead contact: Anthony Wright.

Regional Organizing and Advocacy: Working with local and regional organizations on budget and legislative campaigns. Partnering with coalitions on key local issues, from Healthy San Francisco to protecting the Los Angeles public hospital system. Lead contact: Jessica Rothhaar; Los Angeles contact: Nancy Gomez; Northern California contact: Linda Leu

Administrative Advocacy: Ensuring consumer representation at the various administrative and regulatory agencies, from the Department of Managed Health Care to the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, from the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board to the Department of Insurance. Lead contact: Elizabeth Abbott

It's Our Healthcare! (IOHC): Continuing the statewide campaign and coalition working for the urgent passage of comprehensive health reforms and coverage expansions in California in 2009-10. Lead contact: Linda Leu

Health Care for America Now! - California (HCAN-CA): Continuing the statewide efforts in California to implement and improve federal health reform. Lead contact: Patrick Romano

Health Initiative on Overcharging and Underinsurance (Health IOU): Working to prevent the various causes of medical debt, from hospital billing and charity care policies, to implementing efforts against provider overcharging, to winning protections against underinsurance. Lead contact: Jessica Rothhaar

MeDIC (Medicare Drug Implementation Collaborative): Staffing a partnership of key senior groups working on health policy issues, from the implementation of the Medicare Part D program to broader reforms. Lead contact: Elizabeth Abbott

Story Bank: Collecting individual patient experiences with the health system, and developing spokespeople and leaders to talk about their issues with the health system to policymakers and the press. Lead contact: Nellie Price

VMI (Video Medical Interpretation) Project: Expanding language access to care by implementing Internet videoconferencing technologies for interpretation services in public hospitals and clinics. Our ongoing project in San Francisco and Alameda counties has reduced wait times to get interpreter services, and expanded the number of languages offered. Lead contact: Bruce Occena