Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Supervisor Wilma Chan Tout Benefits of 'Obamacare'

By Bay City News

Congresswoman Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, and Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan touted yesterday two different benefits they say will result from the to uphold the

Speaking at Cal-Pep, an HIV/AIDS advocacy organization on Adeline Street in West Oakland, Lee said the controversial ruling means that for the first time patients with HIV and AIDS don't have to wait until they are diagnosed with AIDS in order to qualify for Medi-Cal, the state's publicly-funded health care program.

"This policy shift will greatly improve how we respond to AIDS in California and it will immediately affect those on the frontlines in the battle against HIV and AIDS," Lee said.

She added, "This means those living with the HIV virus in California will have the first opportunity to begin transitioning to long-term, stable and accordable treatment and care programs."

California will be the first state to roll out the reform, which doesn't fully go into effect until 2014, Lee said.

"I am proud to say that California will serve as the nation's model for improving care for HIV patients," she said.

At a separate news conference at the Frank Kiang Medical Center, which is located on East 18th Street near Lake Merritt, Chan said the high court's ruling will ensure that millions of Californians will gain access to health care and provide vital protections to those who already have health insurance.

"We're really happy about the decision because we had been holding our breath to see what would happen," Chan said.

She said about 230,000 people in Alameda County are uninsured but that number will drop dramatically to about 66,000 under the Affordable Care Act.

About 56,000 people will qualify for Medi-Cal and another 107,000 will be able to get private insurance, Chan said.

She said Alameda County will now work hard to make sure that it still has a safety net to provide health care for the 66,000 who will still be without health insurance.

Chan said that although many people have focused on the national impact of the Affordable Care Act, its primary impact will be felt in local communities across the country because county health departments often run local clinics, hospitals and other parts of the social safety net.

In addition, counties are often responsible for finding and registering all eligible residents for health insurance programs, she said.

Chan said that in addition to expanding health coverage to millions of new people in California, the Affordable Care Act includes important provisions that end the ability for insurance companies to deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions or impose a lifetime cap on medical coverage.

She said Alameda County will now make sure it has enough staff in place to enroll and serve the large number of new people who will be eligible for health care.