|
Gavin Newsom on Health Care
S.F. Mayor; former Gov. cand.
|
|
Public option is not the right thing
Gavin Newsom recently announced that California is going to start manufacturing its own insulin later this year. The California news is one small indication of the way health care policy debates have shifted in the last decade and a half.
I can remember watching then president Barack Obama on TV when he first rolled out the Affordable Care Act (the ACA, otherwise known as "Obamacare") in 2009.
Obama said that if the United States was starting its health care system over from scratch, he would prefer a "single-payer" system--what would later became known as Medicare for All.
But because we weren't "starting from scratch," what Obama actually proposed was a market-based patchwork of regulations.
Source: Jacobin e-zine on California insulin deal
, Jun 9, 2023
Expanded health care to millions of uninsured Californians
Newsom is hitting the airwaves to tout his health care accomplishments. He is crowing about expanding health care coverage to millions of previously uninsured
Californians--a holy grail issue for Democrats agitating for universal health care--and California's attempt to force down drug prices by entering the generic drug market.
Source: Fortune magazine on 2022 California Gubernatorial race
, Jul 19, 2022
Proposed Health For All, regardless of immigration status
More new business starts during the worst of the pandemic than Texas and Florida combined. You know what makes us different than those states? It's that, as our businesses grow, we don't leave our workers behind. We raised the minimum wage. We increased
paid sick leave. Provided more paid family leave. Expanded child care to help working parents. And this year, with your support, we will do something no other state in America has done--provide Health For All, regardless of immigration status.
Source: 2022 State of the State Address to California legislature
, Mar 8, 2022
First state to offer universal access to healthcare
Create Universal Access to Healthcare Coverage: Governor Newsom's Blueprint will make California the first state in the
nation to offer universal access to healthcare coverage for all state residents, regardless of immigration status.
Source: 2022 State of the State Address to California legislature
, Feb 10, 2022
State employees to get vaccinated or regular testing
Newsom announced that state employees and health care workers would be required to get vaccinated or be subject to regular COVID testing. Few issues united the four Republicans on stage like their disdain for public health mandates. "I happen to have
great faith in the ability of people to make decisions of their own," said Doug Ose, who spoke with the technical knowledge of a longtime lawmaker and a table-pounding indignation. "Instead of giving people mandates, we need to give them options."
Source: Cal Matters on 2021 CA recall race
, Aug 5, 2021
COVID: Science--not politics--drove our decisions
We made the incredibly difficult decision to issue a stay home order to slow the spread. We agonized about the sacrifices it would require. But we made sure that science--not politics--drove our decisions. And as experts like Dr. Fauci said, it
was the right thing to do.People are alive today because of the public health decisions we made--lives saved because of your sacrifice. Even so, I acknowledge it's made life hard and unpredictable, and you're exhausted with all of it.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to California legislature
, Mar 9, 2021
CalAIM: physical health & mental health inextricably linked
This year, we have proposed CalAIM, a once-in-a-generation reform of our Medi-Cal system, based on the obvious, but long-ignored principle, that physical health and brain health are inextricably linked. Health care and housing can no longer be divorced.
After all, what's more fundamental to a person's well-being than a roof over their head? Doctors should be able to write prescriptions for housing the same way they do for insulin or antibiotics.
Policy is an empty promise without creating more placements. One clear opportunity to do this is by reforming the Mental Health Services Act. Reform must focus funding on street homeless, at-risk and foster youth, and those involved in the criminal
justice system. We should compel counties to spend more by lowering the 33% reserve threshold they are allowed to hold back. My message is this: spend your mental health dollars by June 30th, or we'll make sure they get spent for you.
Source: 2020 California State of the State address
, Feb 19, 2020
We will lead a massive expansion of health care
As the most populous state and the country's biggest economy, Newsom's actions carry outsize weight--and are guaranteed outsize publicity.Consider the national attention it garnered when Newsom signed an executive order in March halting executions--
sparing 737 people on California's death row. Witness the proclamation his office wrote last month "welcoming women to California to fully exercise their reproductive rights" after a wave of conservative states took steps to limit abortion.
Newsom is outspoken on immigration, traveling to El Salvador earlier this year in his first international trip as governor.
"We're going to get it,''
Newsom insists. "We're committed to universal health care. Universal health care means everybody--We will lead a massive expansion of health care, and that's a major deviation from the past.''
Source: Politico.com on 2018 California Gubernatorial race
, Jun 17, 2019
Supports HealthySF: available to all uninsured residents
He's even prouder of the HealthySF program that makes health insurance available to all uninsured residents of the city,
without regard to their immigration status. "You can get an insurance card and get care and you pay on the basis of income," he said. "It's unique in America."
Source: The Union on 2018 California gubernatorial race
, Jul 31, 2017
Establish "report cards" on HMO quality of care.
Newsom adopted the manifesto, "A New Agenda for the New Decade":
Promote Universal Access and Quality in Health Care
That more than 40 million Americans lack health insurance is one of our societys most glaring inequities. Lack of insurance jeopardizes the health of disadvantaged Americans and also imposes high costs on everyone else when the uninsured lack preventive care and get treatment from emergency rooms. Washington provides a tax subsidy for insurance for Americans who get coverage from their employers but offers nothing to workers who dont have job-based coverage.
Markets alone cannot assure universal access to health coverage. Government should enable all low-income families to buy health insurance. Individuals must take responsibility for insuring themselves and their families whether or not they qualify for public assistance.
Finally, to help promote higher quality in health care for all Americans, we need reliable information on the quality of health care delivered by health plans and providers; a patients bill of rights that ensures access to medically necessary care; and a system in which private health plans compete on the basis of quality as well as cost.
Goals for 2010 - Reduce the number of uninsured Americans by two-thirds through tax credits, purchasing pools, and other means.
- Create a system of reliable report cards on the quality of care delivered by health plans and providers.
Source: The Hyde Park Declaration 00-DLC5 on Aug 1, 2000
- Click here for definitions & background information
on Health Care.
- Click here for a summary of all issue stances
of Gavin Newsom.
- Click here for a Wikipedia profile
of Gavin Newsom.
- Click here for a Ballotpedia profile
of Gavin Newsom.
- Click here for VoteMatch responses
by Gavin Newsom.
- Click here for issue positions of
other CA00 politicians.
- Click here for
CA00 primary archives.
- Click here for
CA00 secondary archives.
Other governors on Health Care: |
Gavin Newsom on other issues: |
[Title7]
|
Gubernatorial races 2025:
New Jersey Governor:
Democratic primary June 10, 2025:
- Ras Baraka, Mayor of Newark (2014-present)
- Steven Fulop, Mayor of Jersey City (2013-present)
- Josh Gottheimer, U.S. Rep. NJ-5 (since 2017)
- Mikie Sherrill, U.S. Rep. NJ-11 (since 2019)
- Stephen Sweeney, N.J.Senate President (2010-2022)
Republican primary June 10, 2025:
- Jon Bramnick, State Senator (since 2022); Minority Leader (2012-2022)
- Jack Ciattarelli, State Assemblyman (2011-2018), governor nominee (2021)
- Edward Durr, State Senator 3rd district (2022-2024); withdrew
Virginia Governor:
Democratic primary June 17 cancelled:
- Abigail Spanberger, U.S.Rep., VA-7 (2019-2024); Dem. nominee 2025
- Levar Stoney, VA Secretary of the Commonwealth (2014-2016); (withdrew to run for Lt. Gov.)
Republican primary June 17 cancelled:
- Winsome Earle-Sears, Lt. Gov. since 2022; GOP nominee 2025
- Amanda Chase, State Senate District 11 (2016-2023); failed to make ballot
- Denver Riggleman, U.S.Rep. (R-VA-5); exploratory committee as Independent
- Glenn Youngkin, Incumbent Governor , (2022-2025), term-limited
|
Mayoral races 2025:
NYC Mayor Democratic primary June 24, 2025:
- Adrienne Adams, speaker of the City Council
- Andrew Cuomo, former governor of New York, 2011-2021.
Republican June 24 primary cancelled; general election Nov. 4:
- Eric Adams, incumbent Democratic mayor running as an independent
- Jim Walden, Independent; Former assistant U.S. Attorney
- Curtis Sliwa, Republican; CEO of the Guardian Angels
Jersey City Mayor (Non-partisan)
Non-partisan general election Nov. 4:
- Mussab Ali, former president of the Jersey City Board of Education
- Bill O'Dea, Hudson County commissioner (since 1997)
- Jim McGreevey, former N.J. Governor (2002-2004)
- James Solomon, city councilor (since 2017)
- Joyce Watterman, president of the Jersey City Council (since 2023)
Oakland CA Mayor
Non-partisan special election April 14, 2025:
- Barbara Lee, U.S.Rep CA-12 (1998-2025)
- Loren Taylor, Oakland City Council (2019-2023), lost general election
- Sheng Thao, Oakland Mayor, lost recall election Nov. 5, 2024
|
Abortion
Budget/Economy
Civil Rights
Corporations
Crime
Drugs
Education
Energy/Oil
Environment
Families/Children
Foreign Policy
Free Trade
Govt. Reform
Gun Control
Health Care
Homeland Security
Immigration
Infrastructure/Technology
Jobs
Local Issues
Principles/Values
Social Security
Tax Reform
War/Iraq/Mideast
Welfare/Poverty
[Title9]
|
| |
Page last updated: Sep 07, 2025; copyright 1999-2022 Jesse Gordon and OnTheIssues.org