CDC Platform

HEALTH CARE

1. Tenet Nurses. We support Tenet nurses, indeed all nurses, fighting unfair labor practices, for example, Tenet/Sutter nurses. We support legislation that looks at adequate staff-to-patient ratios. Tenet does not provide adequate nursing staff potentially endangering the health of their patients. And, Tenet refuses to bargain in good faith with unions that won organizing elections and have been reorganized by the NLRB.
2. Medical Marijuana. We need to enforce Proposition 215 equally and consistently throughout the state, to keep marijuana safe and affordable, to maintain current medical funding levels, and to develop protection for local, approved growers.
3. Single-Payer Health Plan. California should enact a single payer, universal health plan. Health care is a right for all and not a privilege for some.
4. Assisted Death with Dignity. California should explore the concept of assisted death with dignity, and should enact appropriate legislation, following Oregon’s successful legislation.
5. Bonds for Hospital Repairs. We advocate that a bond measure be enacted to raise money to ensure that each county has hospitals that will survive a major disaster. Because half of all hospitals in California would collapse in a large earthquake and because California hospitals are mandated by law to find money to retrofit and because most hospitals will be hard-pressed to find the money to retrofit.
6. Mental Health. We urge the defeat of AB896 (Developmentally Disabled Act) and we urge a stop to the release of institutionalized persons to unknown circumstances and to account for their whereabouts. Mental health care is as critical as physical care to ensure the well-being of all citizens. We further mandate that worker/employee mental health insurance be on a par with physical protection. And, we note that public education is necessary to inform citizens who are institutionalized including the nature of their illnesses so they are aware of their situations.
7. Pharmaceutical Issues. We propose legislation to index cost increases of pharmaceuticals to the cost of living. Pharmaceutical cost increases far exceed the cost of living based on the consumer price index.
8. AIDS Research. We urge the legislature to maintain and increase funding for AIDS research, treatment and management.
9. Funding of Prescription Drugs. We support including prescription drugs under Medicare.
10. Right to choose. We support every woman’s right to choose and we support the defense of Roe v. Wade. We support state funding for reproductive services.
11. Universal Immunization. We support legislation to make immunization for communicable diseases available and free for those desiring immunization.