Time to ‘get over it’ and use the healthcare law, says Dr. Oz
Reporting from Washington — After an election season saturated with ads attacking the healthcare law President Obama signed in March, the nonpartisan California Endowment, a leading advocate of the new law, is planning an answer Tuesday night.
As soon as the polls close, the foundation will air a new ad on television stations around California featuring doctor and TV celebrity Mehmet Oz (host of “The Dr. Oz Show”) urging Californians to help make the law work.
“The party’s over,” Oz says as the commercial begins. “Whether your side won or lost, the yelling season is through. It’s time to get over it and get on with it.”
Oz goes on to tout the new law, saying:
“The new healthcare law has so much in it that could help Californians get better and more affordable healthcare, but it’s up to the people of this state -- and its elected leaders -- to make sure that you get all that you can out of the new law.”
The $1-million ad campaign — targeting the Bay Area, Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Diego and Fresno markets — follows a $4-million campaign the foundation ran on Spanish-language television starting in September that also touted the benefits of the new law.
“We think it’s time to cut through the shouting and the hostility. And we would like to direct some of the energy toward implementing what is now the law,” said Daniel Zingale, senior vice president at the California Endowment.
Zingale said the new ad campaign ultimately would grow substantially.
The endowment is one of the largest healthcare foundations in the country and has committed to spending millions of dollars in coming years to educate Californians about the law and to help enroll people in new health-insurance options.
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