Target for this Action Initiative: Opening Volunteers In Medicine in El Cajon in 2006. Discussion of setting up clinics in Palm Springs and San Francisco.

SB-Cal Core Issue Area Success Metrics:

Health Care: SB-Cal is dedicated to finding solutions that can help remedy the serious problems relating to small businesses being unable to provide access to affordable health care.

Small Business California, 2311 Taraval Street San Francisco, CA 94116
(415)-680-2188 info@smallbusinesscalifornia.org

SB-Cal ACTION INITIATIVE

Volunteers in Medicine

SB-Cal Core Issue Areas Addressed: Health Care

This SB-Cal Action Initiative is designed to provide access to health care for the working uninsured. Volunteers In Medicine is a national program that takes retired doctors, dentists, and nurses and provides free health care to individuals without insurance or any government subsidies. There are currently 44 clinics around the country none of which take any government funding.

            Problem:

·        Statistics- Over 6 Million people in California do not have any health insurance.

·     Health insurance cost has increased by double digits for the last 5 years making it difficult for small businesses to afford coverage.

·     Retired medical providers want to volunteer but are concerned about licensing and malpractice insurance. They also don’t want to be part of a bureaucratic process and don’t want time constraints in treating people.

           Action Log:

9/28/2005 - SF Homeless Council, with strong support from Angela Alioto, supports the efforts to do a feasibility study to make VIM happen in SF

·        2/11/2005 – AB367 was introduced to waive the initial fee for a physician’s license.

·        4/14/2005 – Passed in Assembly 76 to 0.

·        8/15/2005 – Passed in Senate 36 to 0.

·        8/18/2005 – Enrolled and sent to the Governor.