I am a nurse with 35 years experience. I work at Christus St. Vincent hospital. I am a member of District 1199NM National Health Care Union of Hospital and Heath Care Employees. Parts of the hospital are chronically understaffed. This is a health and safety issue for both the patients and the staff. As part of contract negotiations 1199NM has asked for a guaranteed minimum level of staffing. The hospital administration is refusing to negotiate this. This is possible to do. California currently has a law mandating staffing levels. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded “staffing of RNs below target levels was associated with increased mortality.” The Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research at the University of Pennsylvania had the same finding.

I am the parent of a child with uncontrollable seizures. Every drug the FDA has approved, has been ineffective in controlling or stopping this severe form of Epilepsy. CBD oil ( Medicinal Marijuana ) has been proven to slow and even stop seizures. Many medical uses are showing great responses for sufferers, including M. S. and Parkinson's disease. Please help us.

A close family member has been dealing with mental health issues on a regular and escalating basis over the past several years. There are millions of Americans suffering from and affected by mental health issues. Offering proactive, sustained, and focused healthcare options to people suffering from mental health issues before they become harmful to themselves or others should be a top reform priority for lawmakers.

Blue Shield's purchase of a multi-million dollar executive skybox in an NFL stadium is only the recent example of healthcare insurers cheating California patients and taxpayers out of millions of taxpayer dollars. As a result of its non-profit status, Blue Shield is avoiding California's corporate income tax. This generous tax-break, on top of millions of dollars from rising premium rates, contributes to massive surpluses for non-profit insurers. Blue Shield, for example, built a reserve that is $3.68 billion – or 1667% – more than what’s required by state law. On top of that, we’ve seen the healthcare industry spiral out of control for years, with immense increases in premium rates, and with no one in California with power to stop them. That is why voters put Proposition 45 on the November ballot -- to help curb out of control premium increases by requiring healthcare companies to get approval for rate hikes. And if passed, Prop 45 will give the California insurance regulators the power to block excessive rate increases, like the ones that helped funded Blue Shield’s 49er skybox. But before November, only the Attorney General has the authority to hold insurers accountable and protect patient care. That is why it is on us to urge Attorney General Harris to take action immediately.

Fibromylagia is real

The Managed Care organizations are violating the rules and regulations under Mycare Ohio.

THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PROPOSES TO HIKE PRESCRIPTION CO-PAYS FOR ITS MOST MEDICALLY VULNERABLE EMPLOYEES DO YOU OR YOUR FAMILY HAVE A SERIOUS MEDICAL CONDITION LIKE CANCER, HIV, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, OR HEPATITIS C??? IF SO, THE UC WANTS TO HIKE YOUR PRESCRIPTION CO-PAYS to 30% of the cost (TO A CAP OF $150) PER MONTH, PER MEDICATION up to $1,500 annually for UC employees enrolled in Kaiser, and $1,000 for all other health plans. • On July 24th, 2014 the UC revealed its plan to hike co-payments for “specialty RX” from the normal co-pay to what they call a “coinsurance model.” • This “coinsurance model” is planned to be agreed upon by the UC and the insurance companies in September 2014 but would go into effect January 1ST, 2015. • They call this “cost sharing” and it would mean that for every single “specialty RX” that you or your family takes, you would have to pay 30% of its cost, or $150.00 per month, whichever is less up to $1,500 annually for UC employees enrolled in Kaiser, and $1,000 for all other health plans. • They define “specialty RX” as any medications used to treat HIV, Cancer, MS, or Hep C (but there could be others). THIS PLAN MUST BE STOPPED In addition to signing this petition, please write your story of how this would affect you or your family to us at [email protected] You can be anonymous, and we will respect your privacy. Stories will be shared with the UCOP, with identifying details removed if you wish.

I am asking the President, the US Congress, and local congresspersons to accept the fact that the ability to eat and talk is integral to one's healthcare. Teeth are not extraneous appendages, like hair. They are part of the alimentary process; therefore, Medicare ought to be involved in dental care for adults (children may be covered in other ways). Many of us cannot come close to affording the charges that specialty dentists charge, nowadays. I have trouble eating , digesting, and talking. Thanks for your attention to this matter. Update: Now , I have 10 missing teeth, and a recent extraction. I found another dentist, and have good credit. But what about those who have zero funding? The problem still must be addressed.

Because we all need dental insurance, for the overall health, for seniors especially. Should be included in medicare, medcaid or state insuranes also,

Because of real life experiences this must be completed to it's finish. Bring America back to the people's choice.

Public Health is a safety net program for vulnerable individuals living uninsured and uncovered by the Affordable Care Act. Nearly 50,000 clients may lose their Public Health services beginning January 1, 2015. Most of these cuts will happen in the South County. Public Health services that will be cut or reduced include WIC, family planning, Pediatrics, Maternity Support Services, Nurse Family Partnership, and others. These cuts will decrease and privatize lifesaving services. These cuts will widen health disparities, particularly those along race and class lines in the South End of King County. When Public Health Services close, the whole community will suffer with increased rates of disease and chronic health problems. Stand with Communities 4 Public Health. One county. One health department. One healthy community.

I have been blind-sided twice this year with premium increases from my Blue Shield of California Medi Gap plan. Never before has this happened to me in my many years of being insured. When selecting a Medi Gap, or any insurance plan, your premium price plays a pivotal role. Also, when you are presented with a 2014 premium, you have a reasonable expectation that it means all of 2014 (12 months, to be exact). Blue Shield's bait and switch and discriminatory practices should be illegal and should not be allowed. My first increase was in March, and I was told that it was due to me turning an odd-number age in February. My second increase came in August, for which I was told was an across-the-board increase for their Medi Gap plan, affecting mostly seniors. In my complaint to Blue Shield, I referenced a document on the Blue Shield web site that states that premium increases based on age go into effect the January of the year following the odd-year birthday. I was told that this document was for their regular plans and not their Medi Gap, their senior plan. Blue Shield justified this practice by saying that Medicare had approved and signed off on this age-discriminatory practice. It cannot be okay for Blue Shield to raise premiums for seniors at will, nor is it okay for Medicare to approve such a plan. For Blue Shield to advertise their premium as 2014 premium is false advertisement and fraudulent. It is not a 2014 premium plan; it's a month-to-month plan that is subject to change at any time, and should be advertised as such. Corporations don't accept this deception from Blue Shield in regard to their employees and neither should Medicare. Bait and switch practices are illegal, false advertisement is illegal, fraud is illegal and age discrimination is illegal. Therefore, these practices by Blue Shield are illegal and unacceptable. If you are a senior, care about a senior, or hope to be a senior someday, you need to sign this petition and put an end to Blue Shield's unscrupulous practices! If we don't stop Blue Shield, your insurance company could be next. This petition is not about high premiums, it is about unfair and, in most cases, illegal practices.