Health Care as a Human Right Community Forum

How a single-payer health insurance system would work in California will be the topic of a Community Forum in Newbury Park on Friday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Dr. Bill Honigman, an emergency room physician in Orange County for more than 30 years, will explain the Healthy California Act, a bill introduced in the California Senate by Sens. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) and Toni Atkins (D-San Diego). A discussion will follow his presentation at the Conejo Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 3327 Old Conejo Road in the Songbird office park (enter at Ruth Drive).

Senate Bill 562 would establish a single-payer health insurance system that would cover all Californians. Patients would be able to choose any health care provider and there would be no out-of-pocket expenses for covered services. The system would cover co-pays for Medicare Part B. A payroll and income premium scaled to be higher for upper-income earners would replace insurance company premiums, co-pays and deductibles.

Dr. Honigman, a board-certified emergency medicine specialist, has been active in advocating health care as a human right. He is a Steering Committee member and Orange County Region coordinator of Campaign for a Healthy California, a group representing more than 150 community and labor organizations committed to a grassroots movement to replace private health insurance with guaranteed health care for all Californians.

There is no admission charge for the Community Forum but donations to cover expenses are welcomed. For information, visit forum.cvuuf.org or contact Dana Ryon through the church office at (805) 498-9548.