Healthcare Debate Heats Up
On Tuesday, May 22, Gov. Schwarzenegger addressed more than 1,500 business leaders in Sacramento to advance his plan to extend health coverage to 6.5 million uninsured Californians. Highlighting the need for “shared responsibility,” the governor defended his fees on employers, doctors and hospitals, while warning attendees about the more burdensome requirements in Democratic-backed alternatives now moving in the legislature. Meanwhile, health care groups began positioning themselves to influence the debate. On Thursday, Blue Cross, who has set aside $2 million for the upcoming campaign, ran a three-quarter page ad in the Sacramento Bee warning of unintended consequences of proposed insurance changes, comparing the situation to the energy deregulation debacle a few years ago. Also, a coalition led by Blue Shield and the Service Employers International Union intends to move forward in the near future with ads supporting reform legislation.

Clinical Trial Disclosure Bill Headed to Senate Floor
Next week SB 606, authored by Senator Jack Scott (D-Pasadena), may be heard on the Senate floor. The legislation would require any pharmaceutical company that sells, delivers, offers for sale, or gives away any prescription drug within California to make publicly available the results of every completed clinical trial the company has conducted (except a phase 1 trial), along with explanation of any incomplete clinical trial (except a phase 1 trial). CHI opposes this bill because it duplicates federal regulations, is overly broad, and could jeopardize companies' proprietary business information. CHI and other industry representatives have been asked by Senator Scott to offer amendments that would remove opposition from the bill. Currently, CHI is exploring an amendment strategy that would modify the requirements of the bill in order to conform with less burdensome legislation, that would preempt SB 606, currently moving at the federal level. For more information, contact burt@chi.org.

State to Face Potential Shortage in Skilled College Graduates
According to a report released on Wednesday by the Public Policy Institute of California, California will face a serious shortage of skilled workers within 20 years if drastic changes are not made. If current trends continue, projections of educational attainment for the future point toward a widening disparity between the level of skills the population is likely to possess and what will be needed to sustain economic growth. By 2025, two out of five jobs will require a college degree, up from one in three today. In the past, California has relied on a strong influx of college graduates from other states and countries to meet its rising economic demands. This trend has reversed over the past few decades, and recently the state has seen more college-educated residents leaving for other states than arriving. CHI continues to work with policy makers to address these problems and ensure that the state is able to produce a highly skilled workforce to meet the demands of the biomedical industry. View report.

PRI to Hold Panel on California Health Care Reform Proposals
Gov. Schwarzenegger and Democratic legislators have proposed health reforms of sweeping scope; and they appear committed to achieving them in 2007. On Thursday, May 31, the Pacific Research Institute (PRI) will assemble a panel of healthcare experts for a lunchtime discussion about the effects of proposed California health reforms. The event will be at Mason's Restaurant (116 15th Street, Sacramento) from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. To RSVP of for more information please contact Cindy Chin (cchin@pacificresearch.org or 415-955-6110) or visit the PRI Web site.