Free Republic

SACRAMENTO Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger used his health care affordability summit Monday to unveil a plan to expand health access for California children as he met with noted business, labor and medical leaders to discuss reforms to the overburdened health care system. Across campus at the University of California, Los Angeles, state Treasurer and Democratic nominee Phil Angelides staged his own "town hall" event with the associate director of the university's Center for Heath Policy Research and a handful of senior citizens and university students. Angelides pledged to sponsor legislation to expand the state's Healthy Families Program and force all companies...

SAN FRANCISCO - The influential senior citizen lobby AARP urged its 3.1 million California members and other voters Wednesday to oppose Proposition 78, which would create a voluntary prescription drug discount program for poor, uninsured state residents. AARP opposes the drug industry-sponsored measure because it would make pharmaceutical industry participation voluntary, but supports an opposing measure that would make discounts mandatory if the companies wanted to fully participate in the state's Medicaid program. "There is a danger if Proposition 78 passes that we will see little or no real benefit," said AARP state director Tom Porter. "Discounts will be provided...