“The U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed the constitutionality of the most far reaching federal legislation since the creation of Medicare in 1965 – the  Affordable Care Act. This means we will now move forward in California to implement profound reform, which will strengthen our health care system, our economy and bring the promise of health care access to every person.

“California can now bring three million more people into an expanded Medicaid program by 2014. While the Court has made Medicaid expansion optional for each state, as Chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services I am confident that the dire need to broaden health care access in California will prompt the current Legislature and Governor to accept the offer of an estimated nine billion federal dollars to achieve that expansion.

“I am proud of the work of our President, supporters in Congress and our effort here in California to extend health care access to the uninsured. We will continue to lead development of new options, benefits, and consumer protections under the Act. California has already secured hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding, and hundreds of thousands of Californians experience the direct benefit every day:

• Over 10,000 Californians who were denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions now have coverage;
• Over 315,000 seniors get help to afford their prescription drugs.

“Thanks to the new law, hundreds of thousands are already beginning to benefit, and millions more will benefit in 2014 and beyond.

“I promise to work with my colleagues in the Legislature, my constituents and all Californians to move ahead with the landmark provisions that are included in the Affordable Care Act at the state and federal levels, realizing the promise and necessity of health care reform.”