San Bernardino, CA (March 10, 2009) – Today, hundreds of homecare workers and community allies turned out to protest proposed changes to the County homecare workers’ health plan.
“As homecare workers we make sure that our County’s seniors and people with disabilities receive the quality care they deserve,” said homecare worker Ola Faumutini. “Now we must fight to protect our healthcare.”
The Public Authority, which represents the County in contract negotiations with County In-Home Supportive Service (IHSS) workers (otherwise known as ‘homecare workers’), is wanting to replace the current health plan offered to workers with one that has less coverage, will cause more out-of-pocket costs for these low-wage workers, and ultimately cost taxpayers money.
“If workers who make only $9.25 an hour are given healthcare with huge out-of-pocket costs they’re not going to use it,” stated homecare worker Beronica Bautista. “Instead, they’ll be forced to return to emergency rooms where there are no out-of-pocket costs to them, but huge costs to the County. In other words, the proposed plan is a bad value for the County!”
Currently there are approximately 1,400 IHSS workers who qualify for health benefits but are on a waiting list due to inadequate funding by the County. The Public Authority claims that by changing the healthcare to a cheaper plan, health benefits will be extended to more homecare providers. Workers disagree – pointing out that if the County took full advantage of available State funding that covers IHSS health benefits (up to sixty cents per hour worked) all qualified workers would be covered with quality benefits. Currently, the County only taps into twenty percent of this available funding.
“Even in our current fiscal crisis, the State is willing to provide the County with sixty cents per hour worked by homecare workers to be placed toward benefits. As of now, San Bernardino County only accepts thirteen cents per hour,” said care provider Carla Eastman.
“You would think that during these difficult economic times the County would want to make sure that any resident who qualifies for healthcare would get quality healthcare so that County facilities are not overburdened by the uninsured,” said Ana Duarte, a homecare worker and member of the union’s bargaining team. “However, the plan that the Public Authority is pushing for would result in more homecare workers using County facilities because we simply cannot afford the costs associated with this plan.”
After protesting at the County Government Center, workers went to each of the Supervisor’s district offices to ensure that their concerns were heard.