Groups Plan Health Care Initiative

A coalition of Orange County health groups vowed Tuesday to qualify a measure for the November ballot that would require Orange County to spend on health care most of the $900 million it expects to get over the next 25 years from the national tobacco settlement.

The group--which includes members of the medical and hospital establishment, as well as community groups and clinics--will gather petition signatures to require that “the lion’s share” be spent on health care and anti-smoking programs, according to a statement released by the group.

“The measure is definitely a go,” said Sam Roth, spokesman for the group and an executive with the California Medical Assn. “It has been green-lighted, and we will be announcing details on Thursday.”

Supervisors have opposed the plan, instead voting twice to spend most of the annual $35 million to $40 million on jails and retiring the county’s bankruptcy debt. No more than $8 million a year would go to health care under those plans.

Members of the health care group will announce details of their ballot initiative plan Thursday and are expected to brief supervisors in courtesy calls today, a coalition member said.

The backers include the Orange County Medical Assn., the Society of Orange County Emergency Physicians, the American Assn. of Retired Persons, Orange County Congregation Community Organizations, Sen. Joe Dunn (D-Garden Grove), former Supervisor Marian Bergeson and the Healthcare Assn. of Southern California, a hospital trade group.