Assemblyman Bill Monning

What does the historic U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding federal health care reform, the Affordable Care Act, portend for California and Californians?

Since being signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010, portions of federal health care reform have been enacted and more than 350,000 young adult Californians under the age of 26 have qualified for health care coverage under a parent's existing plan. Almost 11,000 individuals who were denied coverage by established plans because of a pre-existing medical condition have been enrolled in the Preexisting Condition Insurance Program. And, since 2010, young people under the age of 18 cannot be denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition; more than 350,000 Medicare enrollees have received up to $600 a year in assistance to buy prescription drugs [the doughnut hole]; more than 30,000 small business owners have used tax credits to help offset the costs of employer-sponsored health care coverage; and there are no lifetime caps or maximum limits on what health insurance will cover during the entire time you are enrolled in the plan. All of these benefits are already in effect in California.

It is interesting to note that when polled, many opponents of federal health care reform overwhelmingly approve of the rights and protections embodied in the law. Strident opponents do not believe the government should offer any support to individuals seeking health care services. Yet,

With the Supreme Court's decision, the ACA will extend health care access and eligibility to millions of Californians. The court held that Congress can mandate the implementation of a more comprehensive and cost effective health care delivery system.

While there is more work to do for California to fully implement the ACA by 2014, the California Legislature has been a pioneer in laying the groundwork and has already established the Health Benefit Exchange. The exchange will make it easier for people to buy health insurance products in an open and transparent marketplace.

In addition, I am working with my colleagues to develop policies that will assist consumers and advance health promotion and wellness in our state. I believe one of the strongest features of federal health care reform is its commitment to community-based medicine, including the promotion of health and wellness through the funding of prevention, wellness, immunization, and community-based health promotion. While there is no quick fix to control preventable diseases and illnesses, the ACA offers some of the critical tools and resources necessary to expand access to health care services and to direct more resources to disease prevention and health promotion.

There are those who will argue that federal health care reform falls short of a comprehensive and universal national health plan. Yet, amid the current polarized political dynamic in our nation, the Obama administration's achievement, affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court, represents a monumental step forward in the promotion of health and health care access for all. For those families who have already received treatment for a loved one who would have otherwise been denied health treatment coverage, the ACA has indeed been transformative and for some, life-saving.

Assemblyman Bill Monning is chair of the Assembly Health Committee and represents the 27th Assembly District, which includes portions of Monterey, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. Prior to his election to the Assembly, he was a professor at the Monterey College of Law and a professor of International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution at the Monterey Institute of International Studies.

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Assemblyman Bill Monning: Affordable Care Act monumental step forward in health promotion