Category: Appreciation

Access, Affordability, Appreciation, Consumer Protection, Health Reform, Recognition

2023 in Review

In 2023, Health Access advocated to provide real relief and remove financial barriers to California health consumers—successfully helping increase access to and/or reduce the cost of coverage, care, prescription drugs, and even ground ambulance services. We supported major investments in Medi-Cal to improve access and continue the commitment to expand coverage to all those who […]

Appreciation

In Loving Memory – William (Bill) David Powers

  William (Bill) David Powers passed away on November 25, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. Bill was a remarkable person, an activist at heart. He genuinely cared about people and acknowledged the value of each person he met. Even after he officially retired from an active and meaningful life advocating for affordable housing, Bill Powers continued […]

Announcement, Appreciation, Uncategorized

Remembering Beth Abbott, Deluxe Patient Advocate

We at Health Access, along with the wider California Capitol community and nationwide health care policy and consumer advocacy community, were saddened to hear yesterday that our dear colleague and friend Beth Abbott passed away this weekend. Beth served as the Director of Administrative Advocacy at Health Access California for nearly nine years, after a long […]

Appreciation, Legislation, Scorecard

Health Consumer Champions Revealed in New Health Access 2019 Legislative Scorecard

Looking back on a momentous year for California health care consumers, earlier this week Health Access California released its 2019 Legislative Scorecard highlighting key bills supported by health care consumer advocates in the 2019 legislative session. The report details how policymakers voted on key bills to protect patients, expand coverage, and increase oversight on insurers, the health […]

Appreciation

Thank You to Nancy Gomez’s Decade of Health Care Consumer Advocacy

In early 2008, before there was an Affordable Care Act or even a clear indication of who the candidates for President would be, Health Access joined the national effort to pass comprehensive health reform: Health Care for American Now (HCAN). We knew we couldn’t win health reform with President Bush still in office, but we […]

Announcement, Appreciation

Cliff Allenby: A Health Care Leader We Could Rely On

We note with sadness the passing of Cliff Allenby, former Secretary of Health and Human Services, former head of the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board (aka MrMIB), former head of departments without number. As a number of Governors, including the current (and former) Governor Brown note in the Sacramento Bee, he was a true public […]

Announcement, Appreciation, Recognition

RIP Dorothy Rice, Pioneer in Health

We were saddened to hear of the passing this weekend of Dorothy Rice, 94, a world renowned medical economist and health statistician, who served on the Health Access Foundation board for over a decade until 2015. UPDATED: Here’s the New York Times obituary. Professor Dorothy P. Rice was Professor Emerita of Medical Economics in the Department […]

Appreciation, Medi-Cal, Surprise Bills

Year of 2016 in Review: When We Work, We Win

The Presidential election will be what 2016 is remembered for–and for good reason, given how massively consequential it will be, on countless issues and even our national identity. Health Access California has been actively organizing for the #Fight4OurHealth in California to be ready for the renewed national debate in 2017 on health policy and health care. […]