Health care for restaurant workers who are illegal immigrants

Kind of a big deal because 75,000 restaurant employees in L.A. don't have access to insurance, which means that many of them go to work when they're sick. Enough said. The pilot program, which offers preventive and primary care to low-wage unnisured workers, is being spearheaded by the Restaurant Opportunities Center of Los Angeles, a workers group. From the LAT:

Under the program, called ROC-MD, uninsured workers pay $25 a month so they can go to one of several clinics run by St. John's Well Child and Family Center for physicals, basic dental care and treatment for common illnesses. The program started last fall, but organizers formally announced it Wednesday and are now recruiting more participants. The coverage doesn't replace traditional health insurance but helps ensure that workers have a place to go for preventive care so they don't end up in emergency rooms, said Joseph Villela, senior policy advocate with the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles.