EDITORIAL ARNOLD THE PATIENT GOVERNOR GETS FIRSTHAND LESSON IN NEED FOR QUALITY HEALTH CARE.

AS he recovers from a skiing injury and surgery, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will have plenty of time to think about California's pressing health care needs before he releases a reform plan next month.

Of course, as governor, he no doubt has access to the best insurance plans the state lavishes on its employees. And as a millionaire many times over, he can buy care above and beyond what any plan has to offer.

The rest of us, however, aren't so fortunate.

Even for Californians with good jobs, health care access doesn't come cheap. With premiums rising at double-digit rates -- as well as escalating deductibles and shrinking benefits packages -- just staying healthy is becoming an increasingly unaffordable challenge.

For millions of Californians without coverage, the situation is even worse.

For many, an accident like the one that befell the governor in Idaho last week would result in countless, excruciating hours waiting in an emergency room, followed by a steep bill that would either bankrupt the patient or result in yet higher rates for those of us who are insured.

Schwarzenegger understands this, which is why he has promised to make health care reform the centerpiece of his 2007 agenda. And we can hope that the spirit of cooperation that captured Sacramento this past fall will continue, resulting in real progress toward increasing health care access for all.

But there are also causes for concern.

First is that the health care debate will touch on some politically sensitive areas -- like taxes, immigration, regulations and personal responsibility -- issues that brush up against some of the ideological pet causes of the political parties. Whether the politicians will care more about improving health care or their sacred cows remains to be seen.

Then there's the question of influence-peddling.

Countless big players in Sacramento have a stake in what the health-reform plan looks like, including insurers, pharmaceutical companies, unions, businesses, hospitals, and various activist groups. These players give handsomely to the state's politicians, and will all demand access in exchange for their investment.

Schwarzenegger is far from immune to these pressures. According to the San Jose Mercury News, major health care interests have given the governor and his various political causes more than $4 million since 2003. Businesses that have worked to scuttle previous health care bills have kicked in at least $3.5 million more.

Over the next few months, Schwarzenegger is going to face the daunting challenge of molding whatever plan he proposes so that it not only works, but also can survive the Sacramento political process and not alienate too many of his key supporters.

It won't be easy.

But then, important work never is. And Schwarzenegger, who is at the mercy this week of the doctors who are caring for him, must know as well as anyone how important a functioning medical system is.