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Senator Janet Nguyen's Journey from Vietnam to California Public Office
By Meg McComb, CAHU VP of Communications
When Janet Nguyen (R-34th District) was elected to the California State Senate in 2014, she became the state's first Vietnamese American to serve in the legislature's upper house. Senator Nguyen is the highest ranking Vietnamese-American elected official in California and the highest ranking Vietnamese-American woman elected official in the United States. Janet is a successful businesswoman with a history of public service to the Orange County community. She resides in Garden Grove with her husband, Tom, and two sons.
Meg McComb: Please share how your family came to the United States?
Senator Nguyen: After the fall of Saigon to communist forces, my parents made the difficult decision to leave everything behind to search for freedom. Following several attempts, we escaped on a 10-meter wooden boat across the South Asia Sea and arrived in Thailand. When we got to Thailand, we were informed that they were not accepting more refugees, so we made the life-changing choice to breakdown our boat and swam ashore. We were accepted in Thailand. After traveling through various refugee camps; we arrived in California in 1981.
Meg McComb: How did you get involved in politics?
Senator Nguyen: I was attending the University of California, Irvine with the intent of becoming a medical doctor, when I enrolled in a political science class. There, I met Bill Steiner. who at the time was the Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. Realizing that a letter of recommendation from Chairman Steiner would make me stand out among other biology students, I began an internship with his office. There, I fell in love with public service, and realized that I wanted to be pro-active. I wanted to be at the table when decisions were made that affect someone like me--a woman, a working mother, and a minority.
Meg McComb: How did serving on the CalOptima board affect your perspective of the Affordable Care Act?
Senator Nguyen: I began my service on the CalOptima Board of Directors in 2011, prior to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). I experienced first hand the great efforts that county-organized health systems had to go through to prepare for the implementation of the ACA. Following the Supreme Court's ruling on ACA, I also made an effort to educate the public by co-hosting workshops on the implementation of ACA, Medi-Cal expansion, and how to navigate the Covered California Marketplace.
Meg McComb: As the new Vice-Chair of the Senate Health Committee, what do you believe the policy issues CAHU members should be aware of?
Senator Nguyen: It is still early in the legislative year, but I expect that there will be continued adjustments to the ACA and Covered California. Specifically, because the federal subsidies are ending, Covered California will need to be self-sufficient by the end of the year, so I foresee there being many changes to prepare for this adjustment.
Meg McComb: Do you believe Republicans can make a difference in California?
Senator Nguyen: Absolutely! Democrats no longer have the supermajorities in the State Senate or the State Assembly. Consequently, Republicans in both houses will need to be consulted on any bill requiring a two-thirds vote. What is important here is that everyone, whether Democrat or Republican, has a seat at the table when decisions are being made that affect all Californians.
Meg McComb: What issues, if any, still remain for Asian Americans residing in California?
Senator Nguyen: The issues for California's Asian Americans are mostly the same as they are for the rest of the state. Asian Americans want a growing economy that generates good paying jobs, a strong education system, and a higher education system that is accessible--with admission based upon merit. For those who struggle and need help, they also want government programs that provide meaningful and efficient services to them and their families.
Meg McComb: Do you think the problems with Medi-Cal can be overcome, so that recipients receive the coverage they deserve on a timely basis?
Senator Nguyen: I believe so, but in order to accomplish this, we need to ensure that we have a robust network of providers. One of the keys to building a stronger provider network is to increase payments to medical providers who see Medi-Cal patients. We need to ensure that providers are given fair reimbursement rates, so that our members can have the access to quality healthcare that they deserve.
Meg McComb: How much involvement do you believe the state and federal government should have in American's health care?
Senator Nguyen: I support a strong safety net for Californians, so there will always be some level of government involvement in health care. What we should not tolerate, however, is the waste that comes from lax government oversight, and a service delivery system that doesn't match the needs of recipients.
Meg McComb: What changes, if any, would you propose in the Affordable Care Act?
Senator Nguyen: The ACA is a complicated piece of legislation that can certainly be improved upon. Personally, I would like to see Covered California do more to promote Health Savings Accounts, coupled with high deductible health plans as a viable option for participants. The ACA allows it, but Sacramento restricts it as an option.
Meg McComb: Do you think Covered CA will be self-sufficient by the end of 2015?
Senator Nguyen: With the federal subsidies coming to an end they are going to have to be self-sufficient so this is an important issue that the legislature will have to tackle this year.
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