SEIU 521 healthcare workers from Monterey and Santa Clara counties joined other activists in Sacramento on March 20, 2013, to lobby for a bill that will bridge the gap to healthcare for low-income families.
While the affordable care act will expand healthcare, low-income families who don’t qualify for Medi-Cal and otherwise can’t afford to pay for healthcare could fall through the cracks.
Workers urged legislators to support SBx1 3, a bridge plan that will improve affordability for those Californians who fall in that income range.
“We want to expand coverage so that people in this income group can continue to receive services that we provide and live healthy lives. Prevention is much more cost-effective than waiting until someone is ill and hospitalized.”
— Tim Hill, Public Health Nurse
Santa Clara County Public Health Department
SEIU 521 healthcare workers who traveled to Sacramento were Enid Donato from Monterey County, and Tim Hill, Diana Marroquin, and Jeannette Chang from Santa Clara County.
Workers lobbied legislators then voiced their support of the bill at the Senate Health Committee, which voted 8 – 0 to move the bill forward in the legislative process.
“We came to lobby our legislators to support SBx1 3 for our safety-net hospital to continue to provide healthcare to those who are in the income gap. We want to provide continuity of care so patients are not forced to go elsewhere.”
— Jeannette Chang, Pharmacist
Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospitals System“We have a large percentage of the population that won’t be able to afford healthcare and will still be penalized for not having healthcare. Without your health, you can’t work. You can’t function. You can’t contribute to society. Everyone should have access to affordable healthcare.”
— Diana Marroquin, Senior Health Services Representative
Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospitals System
