San Francisco Universal Healthcare Council formed

From the Mayor's Office of Communcations

Febuary 10, 2006

Mayor Gavin Newsom today announced the Universal Healthcare Council that is tasked with developing the parameters for the Mayor's first-of-its-kind proposal to provide healthcare for all uninsured San Francisco residents.

The Council, which was formed in consultation with Supervisor Tom Ammiano, brings together a wide cross section of healthcare experts, provides, labor, business and community representatives.

The Council will utilize proven best practice methodologies, driven by medical data, to make recommendations for mapping a culturally competent and geographically accessible system of care for uninsured San Franciscans.

Over the course of the next 100 days, it will address such issues as the cost of employer/employee participation level; co-pays and premiums; the network of providers; and the specific health services provided under the Mayor's proposal.

Mayor Newsom, who earlier this week proposed a $51.6 million investment in the City's public healthcare system to help make universal healthcare possible, said "This Council brings to the table an unparalleled breadth of knowledge about the healthcare needs of uninsured San Franciscans. I look forward to receiving their recommendations for implementing our plan to create universal healthcare."

The Mayor continued saying, "With the help of the Council, we will ensure that San Franciscans who can't afford insurance can finally afford health care."

UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE COUNCIL

Co-Chairs:

-- Lloyd Dean, CEO, Catholic Health Care West

--Sandra Hernández, MD, CEO San Francisco Foundation

--Abbey Snay, Executive Director, Jewish Vocational Services

-- Annie Chung, Self Help for the Elderly

-- Bruce Livingston, Senior Action Network

-- Cora Tellez, Healthcare Manager

-- Crystal Hayling, Blue Shield California Foundation

-- Ed Harrington, Controller, City and County of San Francisco

-- Father John Hardin, St. Anthony Foundation

-- Gene O'Connell, RN Administrator, San Francisco General Hospital

-- Giselle Quezada, Young Workers

-- Gladys Sandlyn, Executive Director, Mission Neighborhood Health Center

-- Jean Fraser, San Francisco Health Plan

-- Jim Wunderman, Bay Area Council

-- John Gressman, ED., San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium

-- Josie Mooney, Executive Director, SEIU Local 790

-- Ken Jacobs, UC Berkeley Center for Labor and Research

-- Kevin Grumbach, MD, Professor and Chair of Family Practice, UCSF/SFGH

-- Kevin Westlye, Golden Gate Restaurant Association

-- Larry Baer, Executive Vice President, SF Giants

-- Laurie Thomas, Rose Pistola and Rose's Cafe

-- Lucien Wulsin, Insure the Uninsured Project

-- Mark D. Smith, MD, MBA, CEO California Health Care Foundation

-- Mark Lampert, Social Investor

-- Mark Laret, CEO, UCSF Medical Center

-- Martin Brotman, MD, California Pacific Medical Center and St. Lukes

-- Michael Drennan, M.D., Director of Primary Care, DPH

-- Michael O'Connor, Small Business Commissioner

-- Mike Alexander, COO, Northern CA Kaiser Foundation Hospital

-- Mitch Katz, MD, Director of Health, SF Department of Public Health

-- Nathan Nayman, Committee on Jobs

-- Neil Birnbaum, Brown and Toland

-- Sal Rosselli, President, United Healthcare Workers- West

-- Scott Campbell, MD, MPH, Emergency Medicine, Kaiser San Francisco

-- Sophia Chang, M.D., California Healthcare Foundation

-- Steve Falk, President, S.F. Chamber of Commerce

-- Steve Heilig, Policy Director, SF Medical Society

-- Tim Paulson, Executive Director, Labor Council

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