Health Care Forum Planned Saturday in Ventura
From the office of State Senator Hannah Beth Jackson:
State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) and Assemblymember Das Williams (D-Santa Barbara) will host a Town Hall forum Saturday to help explain how federal health care reform will affect Californians.
The meeting will take place from 3 to 5 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 16, at the WAV Auditorium, 175 S. Ventura Avenue in Ventura.
Jackson will begin the forum with opening remarks.
“Understandably, people have a lot of questions about the new health care law, and it’s my hope that a forum like this will help answer them, ” Jackson said. “We can’t lose sight of the visionary goal behind health care reform: That health care is a right, not a privilege, and that everyone should have access to the care they need.”
“This is a historic and exciting time, but it can also be complicated and confusing,” said Williams. “Health care is no longer an unattainable goal. Now all Californians will have access to affordable coverage, regardless of your income.”
All Californians will be required to have health insurance beginning in January of 2014, according to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The enrollment period began on Oct. 1 and goes through March 31, 2014.
The new law will allow people to have quality, affordable health insurance even if they have a pre-existing condition and even if their employer doesn’t offer health insurance. Representatives from Gold Coast Health and Covered California will be available to help answer questions and guide constituents.