CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : SACRAMENTO : Doctors Halt Health Insurance Initiative

The California Medical Assn. is suspending efforts to place a mandatory health insurance initiative for all Californians on next year’s election ballot. The powerful physicians’ group said a lack of consensus on the elements of a proposed health insurance plan, the economic recession and the state budget troubles prompted its action. The CMA challenged critics to find their own solutions to the health care problem. “We have put forth proposals and negotiated with groups representing various perspectives on the issue, including business, labor and consumer representatives,” said CMA President Dr. Howard L. Lang. “To date, none of the other groups has put forth a workable solution while the crisis continues to grow.” Another proposed health care initiative has been sent to Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren’s office for eventual circulation of petitions to qualify it for the 1992 ballot. It is sponsored by Michael Weinstein, president of the Los Angeles-based AIDS Health Care Foundation.