Registered nurses, consumers, community health activists, and patients will rally in Sacramento Wednesday, then attend a legislative hearing in which they will call on state lawmakers to support Proposition 45 on the November ballot to provide effective curbs on insurance premium increases.
 
The occasion is a joint hearing of the Senate and Assembly Committees on Health on Prop. 45 that would provide the California Insurance Commissioner authority to reject excessive rate increases and order rebates for consumers, and give the public the right to fight unjustified insurance price hikes.
 
What:                         RNs and consumers rally at State Capitol
When:                        Today, Wednesday, July 2, 12:30 p.m.
Where:                       North Steps, State Capitol, Sacramento
 
The California Nurses Association/National Nurses United, Consumer Watchdog, Campaign for a Healthy California and patients who have been pummeled with massive insurance premium increases will hold a rally on the north steps of the Capitol at 12:30 p.m. The hearing is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m., expected to be in Room 4202 of the Capitol.
 
California’s biggest and wealthiest health insurance giants have already donated more than $25 million for its campaign to oppose the measure.
 
“Registered nurses strongly support Proposition 45 to finally put some common sense restraints on the exorbitant price increases imposed on patients and families by corporate health insurance giants,” said CNA Co-President Deborah Burger, RN.
 
“Price gouging is rampant in the healthcare industry. Our patients pay the price. RNs regularly see patients who struggle to pay the immorally high costs imposed on them for needed medical care. We see patients who have to decide whether to pay a medical bill and face financial ruin or bankruptcy. Whether to choose to pay for the medical treatment they need and their doctor recommends and cut back on other basic needs for their family – food, clothing, utility bills, or shelter,” Burger continued.
 
“Nurses know that medical bills – not credit card bills, not unpaid mortgages – remain the number one cause of personal bankruptcy in the U.S. Nurses know that far too many patients make the terrible choice of skipping the care they need entirely because of the high cost. “
 
“Sadly the Affordable Care Act does not adequately protect patients and families from price gouging by the insurance giants. This important initiative is an important way to follow through with real action, not just rhetoric, to rein in this abuse by one of the worst offenders, the health insurance industry. We know the insurance companies will not police themselves. That’s why we need Prop. 45. Our patients, our families, our communities, deserve no less,” Burger said.