Date: Thu, 24 Apr 1997 15:35:31 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Jennifer L. Richard" <richarjl@assembly.ca.gov>
Subject: PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE			Contact:	Jennifer Richard
April 23, 1997						916-445-4956

Preventative Health Bill Passes Committee 

A bill expanding access to primary preventative health care passed out of 
a a crucial Assembly  policy committee yesterday.  The bill, AB 600, 
authored by Assemblymember Kuehl (D-Santa Monica) broadens the doorway to 
the Family Primary Access to Care and Treatment program (formerly State 
Only Family Planning).

Under current law, only women who are seeking contraceptive services, 
pregnancy testing or fertility services and who have a family income 200% 
of the federal poverty level or below are given access to the broad range 
of preventative services now provided by this program.  Men are only able 
to access limited Family PACT services if they are the partners of 
eligible women.  These restrictions mean that sterilized women, lesbians, 
menopausal women, and virtually all men below 200% of the federal poverty 
level are ineligible for primary preventative health care in California.

"There is no good reason to exclude so many poor Californians, including 
so many lesbians and gay men, from primary preventative health care." 
said Kuehl. "Primary preventative health care saves lives and saves 
California money through early diagnosis and prevention.  It makes good 
sense to expand access to primary preventative health care to all of 
California's working poor who either do not receive health benefits 
through their employer or cannot afford private insurance."

AB 600 which is co-sponsored by the American College of Obstetricians and 
Gynecologists of California and the Planned Parenthood Affiliates of 
California will now move on to a hearing in the Assembly Appropriations 
Committee.

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