Ex-pharmacist Lobbies for Hep B Bill
May 25, 2008
Providing expert analysis on the pros and cons of Assembly Bill 158 to the S.F. Hep B Free campaign is Dr. Ron Tom.
Tom, a lobbyist and practicing pharmacist for 16 years, said as he enters his semi-retirement stage, he wants to utilize his 30 years of policy experience in the legislature on nonprofit pro bono work and give back to his community.
“I’m very interested in assisting Asian community groups, so when I found out [Assemblywoman] Fiona Ma and [AsianWeek Foundation’s] Ted Fang were working on this bill, I knew I wanted to do what I could,” said Tom, who is helping track and monitor the status of the bill.
Assembly Bill 158, written by Ma, would expand Medi-Cal eligibility to individuals infected with chronic hepatitis B and provide treatment before individuals become disabled. Currently, individuals with chronic hepatitis B are not eligible for Medi-Cal benefits. However, when they become disabled, they are eligible for Medi-Cal benefits under the federal Supplemental Security Income for the Aged, Blind and Disabled Program.
“Fiona is an outstanding legislator, very tenacious and passionate about her issues, and if anyone could get this bill passed, it would be her,” said Tom, who has previously worked with GlaxoSmithKline, a producer of a vaccine for hepatitis B.
Currently the only opposition for the bill is coming from the Department of Health Services, which Tom believes is due to bureaucratic reasons.
“If the bill passes, there will be health services to implement, and bureaucrats don’t like being told what to do,” Tom said.
Tom graduated with honors from the University of the Pacific where he received both a doctor of pharmacy and a B.S. in pharmacy, and has served as director of governmental relations at the law firm of Damrell, Nelson, Schrimp, Pallios & Ladine for seven years. He is also a senior legislative advocate for the California Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, and chief consultant to the Joint Legislative Committee on Medi-Cal Oversight.
He is also active in the community, having served as a volunteer member of several health care organization panels, including the Sacramento County Health Council and the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee to the Department of Personal Health.
For more about the S.F. Hep B Free campaign: sfhepbfree.org or thuynh@awfoundation.com.
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