Ca legislature passes health care “reform” bill; guv to veto

The state Legislatureapproved an overhaul of California’s health care system Monday, buteven before the votes were tallied Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vowed toveto the bill and call lawmakers into a special session after thecurrent session ends this week.  Schwarzenegger said he would reject AB8, by Speaker Fabian Núñez,D-Los Angeles, because it puts too great a financial burden onemployers and does not address the needs of 2.8 million of California’sestimated 4.8 million uninsured residents.  “First and foremost, AB8 does not cover everyone,” the governorsaid. “Any reform that leaves millions without health insurance andfails to address our dangerously overcrowded emergency rooms simplymaintains a broken system.”  Schwarzenegger also said he wants a bill that better shares thecosts of expanding coverage. “I have always said that I would not signa health care bill that puts the vast majority of the financial burdenfor reform on any one segment of our economy,” he said.

Source/more:  SF Chronicle, http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/11/BAA9S31CT.DTL