supervisor campos: welcome back to the government audit and

oversight committee. my apologies for having to take a break, but we needed to have a quorum to make sure that we could continue with the hearing. i wanted to thank supervisor avalos who has joined us on the committee. he has been appointed temporarily to serve on this committee so we can proceed to finalize the hearing. this is an opportunity to hear from members of the public that have been sitting quite patiently for the last couple of hours to provide comment on this very important issue. be what to say something? -- do you want to say something?

supervisor avalos: i am playing when backup catcher today. supervisor campos: let me begin by calling the following speakers. [reads names] and my apologies if i mispronounce your name. maybe some of the speakers have left, and our apologies to them.

we will begin the clock once the computer has been set up. >> thank you very much, supervisors for this opportunity. there is research we have done on hospital spending and patient mortality. i am hoping things will improve. for some time, researchers have

been studying how health care is delivered three of the united states. the best known work is the hot list of health care that shows that medicare spending vary widely across the region. it has much higher spending in miami and raises the question, what does more spending by? the answer may be, and not much. some researchers have used in the atlas to analyze the relationship between mortality in spending among medicare beneficiaries and found that in regions that spent a lot on health care, heart attacks and cancer patients are less likely to survive. that is major implications for health policy.

it suggests the many of it -- much of it is wasteful. it is hard to overstate how influential this has been. during the health care reform debate, they devoted shows entirely the health policy. that gives you a sense of the research. the most recent atlas reported spending at specific hospitals. our research team ranked spending to discharge records throughout california. [chime] supervisor campos: because of the fear that we might lose a quorum, we need to limit it to 2 minutes.

if i could ask you to wrap up. >> patients in california were treated in the highest spending hospital rather than the lowest, a large number could be avoided. at least in the context of hospital care, more isn't less, more is more. >> thank you for coming out here. as we look forward to continuing the discussion with you as the committee comes back to this issue. next speaker, please. >> the afternoon, supervisors. i want to talk about health care

in san francisco. >> we always have meetings with our workers, and the first question we always as is what they would want to change in san francisco. the first thing that comes up as health care, the second is workers' rights issues, and the third is education. why is health number one? if they are not healthy, they can't work. because medical costs in san francisco are very high, a lot

of them can't afford it. so a lot of the illnesses are minor. but until it becomes more, [unintelligible] for example, a worker came out and told her that she needed to go back to china. they responded, that is great, why are you coming back. her responses, i dunno if i will come back because i don't know if i will see you again. years ago, she went to the

doctor who the doctor said she had a lump in her cervix. because medical costs were so high, she did not get treatment for it. until a few months ago, there was a lot of pain and she could not even go to work. the doctors said she had cancer. in san francisco, there is no way she can afford the medical costs so she had to go back to china.

the after hearing semiprofessional talk about the high cost of medical care, it is all because of certain hospitals controlling the costs. so if the cost goes higher and higher, how are they supposed to seek medical care? even though they have some hospitals in san francisco, do they use care of our residents? the government controls the cost in the future. supervisor campos: let me read

more names. [reading names] >> i am disabled and i have a question. currently, they provide preventive care and coverage for me. i don't know under the new regime is healthy san francisco will be reduced or seven -- discontinued. most of them are working with low wages, retirees, low wages. women of color and people with

language barriers. the list goes on. not only do these individuals require ha affordable health care, but what about services that will treat these people through rehabilitation and physical memory? will that be covered as well? will that be available to all of the groups we have mentioned? supervisor campos: next speaker, please. if you could bring the microphone closer to you, thank you very much. >> i of the member of the associate community center.

i live in the social district. supervisor campos: ok. why don't we reset the clock so we can do it through translation? >> i want to share my story with everybody.

the effort because i have brain surgery, it is hard for me to go out and do work. my husband cannot cover me on his work insurance. because it is very expensive.

so she is covered under medicare. >> of the cost is so expensive that i am not able to pay its.

i am looking forward to have the hearts and minds to serve low- income communities like mine. supervisor campos: think you very much. i know it is difficult to share something as personal as that. thank you along with the other folks that have been waiting so long to speak. let me read a few more names. any member of the public that would like to speak on this item, please come up. >> i am a registered nurse in the intensive care unit at a hospital.

most of our patients come from the community and the city. they are making more profits than they have ever made. the net profit was almost $741 million. these are the worst in the country oppose the economic downturn. there are the highest-paid in the area. despite all these facts, it is so little to maintain for health

care in san francisco. i work alongside extremely sick san franciscans. limited supplies and often no hot water. they don't have a call like. when it rains, the wells literally flooded with water from a leaking roof. the nurses continue to work in such conditions because we are committed to our patient and community. we appreciate them showing the same dedication to our patients by investing some of the millions. supervisor campos: i also saw walter. next speaker.

>> ♪ if you want the health care come and get it made your mind up fast if you want good things in health, come and get it you better hurry because it may not last ♪ ♪ did i hear you say that there would be a high price and i don't like that's not very nice if you want a good medical fang, come and get it it may not last and the price is going up awfully fast. ♪ supervisor campos: next speaker,

please. as a low-income family of six, i am very concerned about the hospital sturgeon higher rates. my concern is also the concern of most residents. the plan of constructing a hospital and the neighborhood will not solve the problem. given the fact that they are here addressing the issues being raised by the community. they own a one-third of the market share. it is considered the largest hospital in the city. it is 44%, a virtual monopoly.

we know that monopoly is equal to control and dominance. who will stop them from hiking. they charge 37% more than the state average while they operate st. francis and st. mary's in san francisco. i think we believe the health care is not a commodity that can be traded. what san francisco residents and workers need is access to affordable health care. they're showing a willingness to communicate and to have not said they will make their hospitals accessible. we in the community association are asking our government officials to stand behind the

people. supervisor campos: i appreciate you taking the time. next speaker. >> i lived at 1711 of the bill. -- oakdale. we plan the daily routine for the whole month. given where we accept the nation's, we also save some money for senior programs. my concern is the cost of health care.

which is too much. i have a medication of five different ones for preventive medicine. it cost me about a dollar and 10 cents for 90 pieces. the pricing is shown, i have an eyedropper. it used to cost me $11.99. once they came, it was increased to 4099. -- $14.99. then again to $16.99.

probably it will not be army alone. a lot of people also that are like me. supervisor campos: i know there were a number of seniors that had to leave. we appreciate you. >> think you very much for having this hearing and listening to public comment. i find it quite shocking that the ceo had a 59% increase in his salary in