December 27, 2007
Health Care Program for the Uninsured Dealt Blow
After a federal judge blocked "a key provision of a new city program providing basic health care to uninsured residents, City Attorney Dennis Herrera is scheduled to petition the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals today for an emergency stay pending appeal to help SF maintain the "Healthy San Francisco" program. The program, which would help uninsured San Franciscans receive health care, was scheduled to begin on January 2, 2008. According to CBS 5:
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White ruled Wednesday that the mandate, set to take effect on Jan. 1, would violate a 1974 federal law requiring consistency in the health coverage afforded employees who work for the same company, but live in different jurisdictions.
Let's hope this works, Herrera. Fingers crossed, everyone.
| Advertisement: SFist Continues Below!
Post a comment (Comment Policy)
The judge made the right move. It is not fair for every small business in this city to have to pay additional taxes to solve the health care problem. It is too big of a problem to be handled at the city level. It will reduce our competitiveness in attracting and maintaining small businesses.
Changes such as these must be done at the state or federal level.
The judge made the right move. It is not fair for every small business in this city to have to pay additional taxes to solve the health care problem. It is too big of a problem to be handled at the city level. It will reduce our competitiveness in attracting and maintaining small businesses.
Changes such as these must be done at the state or federal level.
I don't know if it is necessarily related, but the prices at Denny's on 4th and Mission are CRAZY high these days. $9.99 for, what I used to remember being $3.99 elsewhere, a Grand Slam Breakfast? My partner and I doled out $40 for breakfast (including a tip). Holy Chicago!! I totally agree with the idea of health insurance for everyone - but I'm afraid I won't be eating at restaurants as often if these Denny's prices are a taste of what's to come.
Why was I eating at Denny's anyway? Convenience - unplanned.
The health care problem is to big to be solved in any one place, and localities have to help. The judge made the wrong move (is conservative support of federalism dwindling perhaps?). It seems completely fair that local small businesses contribute a paltry sum to help cover the costs that their employees impose on the city's publicly funded health care system. Also, the smallest pay nothing: http://www.healthysanfrancisco.org/employers/HCSO_Compliance.aspx
San Francisco's restaurants suck for bringing this suit. And, Delfina's owners achieved a pinnacle of bad taste by complaining publicly that they feel terrible about not supporting this initiative, but they just bought a house in the Mission.