New CMA leader Joe Dunn takes a detailed look at health-care reform

The California Medical Association was the driving force behind SB 2, the bill by Sen. John Burton that required employers to provide health care for their employees. The bill later was repealed after a multimillion-dollar ballot-box fight. Now, back at square one, CMA has a new executive officer, former Democratic state Senator and former trial attorney Joe Dunn, and a new plan for covering California’s uninsured. Capitol Weekly spoke to Dunn in his Sacramento office.

CW:What do you think is doable in terms of a health-care proposal in the Legislature this year?

JD:That’s the ultimate question and nobody has a true answer as of this point in time. Health care has been such a challenge for public policy-making bodies for so many years that up to now no public policy-making body has been able to overcome the obstacles to significant reform. We’ve seen many gallant efforts in the past on the state and federal levels and all have resulted in some sort of failure. So, if someone were to predict the outcome of this debate based upon the track record, one would reasonably predict this will fail, as well.