I wish we all could join their plan!-->>Vermont implements single-payer

[Sunlei]

The ACA provided states with federal funds to institute a Medicaid expansion. The states chose to expand the program also were able to set up their own state exchanges, which were relatively free from the problems the federal site had. Vermont decided to take it a step further by setting up their very own single payer system.

The slogan of the program: Everybody in, nobody out.

The program will be fully operational by 2017, and will be funded through Medicare, Medicaid, federal money for the ACA given to Vermont, and a slight increase in taxes. In exchange, there will be no more premiums, deductibles, copay’s, hospital bills or anything else aimed at making insurance companies a profit. Further, all hospitals and healthcare providers will now be nonprofit.

This system will provide an instant boost the state economy. On the one side, you have workers that no longer have to worry about paying medical costs or a monthly premium and are able to use that money for other things. On the other side, you have the burden of paying insurance taken off of the employers side, who will be able to use the saved money to provide a better wage and/or reinvest in their company through updated infrastructure and added jobs. It is a win-win solution.

http://www.minnpost.com/community-voices/2013/11/health-insurance-problems-keep-arising-vermont-offers-ray-hope

[NoOneMan]

1. Good work Vermont

[texanwitch]

2. Good for them.

It has to start sometimes, somewhere.

[russspeakeasy]

3. Thank you for this post.

It's good to see the positive things that "could" happen.

[PoliticAverse]

4. You can, move to Vermont. n/t

[Sunlei]

18. considering a move in 5-6 years, it is a beautiful state.

'stuck here' with work but in todays economy it's best to be happy I have a job and dream about a move to a real State

[Freddie]

5. That's how it started in Canada

1 province, Satchkatchewan (sp?) I think.
That's how it's going to work here.

[polly7]

10. So close!

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

Or you could just call us 'The Gap' like those jealous people in Alberta and Manitoba do.

Tommy Douglas is our greatest treasure and still much loved today for what he was brave enough to fight for over 50 years ago.

http://www.cbc.ca/history/EPISCONTENTSE1EP15CH2PA4LE.html


I just wanted to add .... congratulations to the people of Vermont, I hope it spreads as it did here.

[Politicub]

11. Hahahaha

Easy to draw. Hard to spell.

I feel like I've just learned a secret Canadian inside joke.

[Freddie]

14. Kept trying different ways to spell it

Hoping autocorrect would come to the rescue (for once). Thanks for the history!

[joshcryer]

16. But it will be much faster here.

Because it will lower medical costs in states with single payer systems and ultimately capitalism can't compete with a non-profit insured pool.

[IronLionZion]

17. Yup Saskatchewan first, then Alberta

2 small rural provinces did it for the stated reasons of both lowering costs and increasing the supply of doctors, and were so successful that other provinces wanted it too. Read about Tommy Douglas, often considered the greatest Canadian and father of their famous and popular single payer health system.

[NYC_SKP]

6. One down, 49 to go!

K/R

[JEB]

7. Now that is the stuff.

Vermont leading the way...hope it makes its way out to Oregon.

[flamingdem]

8. But this is due to the fact that Vermonters have

more than a shred of decency and if you live there you're not into being wealthy, so much.

Other states have Porsche payment making doctors who enjoy charging $500 for a ten minute visit, they get off on it really.

[handmade34]

9. K&R...

[CFLDem]

12. Only need one state to guarantee a trend.

Thank you Vermont!

[Politicub]

13. My husband and I married in Vermont

We will soon celebrate 20 years together, and we've been married for 3 of them.

We live in Georgia for family reasons, but I would move to Vermont in a heartbeat. Winters and all.

One of the things that I remember most from when we got married there was the reaction (the non-reaction, really) of the town clerk. He treated our marriage license like any other. It made me realize that those moments when I feel truly equal in our society are few and far between. But it's getting better.

He handed our marriage license application to the town clerk, and she typed it up on a manual typewriter. It was the ordinariness of it, if that makes sense.

One of the best days of my life, now that I think about it.

And now the first single payer system will be in place there.

Vermont's civil servants truly serve the people they represent.

[joshcryer]

15. But we'll NEVER have Single Payer if the SCOTUS upheld ACA!!

NEVER! You better believe it!

[panader0]

19. I predict a lot of people moving to Vermont.

[Joel thakkar]

20. Several things are working for vermont

1) It currently has each and every hospital a non-profit. Thus, no lobby from for-profit hospitals.

2) It is the most liberal/socialist state in USA. Repukes are not there. There is always a fight between democrats and socialist in the election.

3) It has a small population of 600k which makes it easy and fast to convince the majority of the people to follow the same idea.



The only problem that vermont could face in the future is the aging work force. Median age is 42 years - Highest in USA.

I hope that few 20 something young people would consider moving to vermont if good job opportunity is provided.

Also i urge other DUers to at-least have a small vacation in vermont to know its beauty and meet awesome people. It will eventually help state economy which will eventually help democratic/socialist ideas stand out.