AARP Will Put Healthcare Signature Drive Over the Top; Endorsement List Widens.

Business Editors

ORANGE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 19, 2000

An important request from the influential AARP will land in a lot of Orange County mailboxes this week. Seeking signatures from their members on the countywide healthcare initiative, the American Association of Retired Persons has sent out a petition which will likely cap off the successful month long drive to place the measure before the voters in November.

AARP, who is widely known for its successful advocacy efforts, has nearly 200,000 members in Orange County. The signature drive, led by AARP and a coalition of taxpayers, employers and healthcare professionals needs 71,206 signatures of registered voters to ensure that it will be placed on the November ballot.

"Let the voters decide," stated Joe Drlik, AARP/VOTE Regional Coordinator. "Polls show that 81% of Orange County voters support the use of the funds for healthcare."

The initiative calls for the lion's share of the national tobacco settlement to be spent on health and healthcare programs. Filed after an impasse with County Supervisors over the use of the funds, the measure requires the Board of Supervisors to allocate 80 percent of their annual national tobacco settlement revenues to several unmet local health needs.

"The Supervisors want to use 80% of the settlement dollars to pay off bankruptcy debt and jail construction," maintained Drlik. "These are healthcare dollars, pure and simple," he added.

Successful passage of the initiative would provide medical transportation for seniors, ensure that emergency rooms and trauma centers are open with physicians available around the clock, fund non-profit community clinics, early screenings for cancer and diabetes, educate against tobacco, alcohol and drug use, and care for the mentally ill.

The AARP is one of the proponents of the county initiative along with a coalition of bi-partisan endorsements and widening array of individuals and organizations. The coalition also wishes to announce new endorsements. They are: Paul Freeman, Community Relations Director for L.J. Segerstrom & Sons, George B. Scott, G. B. Scott Insurance, Partnership for Responsible Public Policy, American Heart Association, the Health Care Council of Orange County, Orange County Coalition of Community Clinics, Los Amigos of Orange County, Latino Health Access, Maternal Outreach Management Systems (MOMS), Nurse Executive Council of Orange County. Announced last week was the endorsement of Tom Uram, longtime Director of the Orange County Healthcare Agency.