Single-Payer in California?

[SHRED]

Has anyone heard of our state moving this direction?
Do we know the progress?
Will this Texas ruling speed up the process?
Do insurance corporations have too much influence so there's no way it'll happen, even in Blue California?

[at140]

1. "insurance corporations have too much influence so there's no way it'll happen, .."

Sums it up nicely!

[still_one]

2. Are you from California? Our State Senate passed SB 562, the Healthy California Act, which is

single payer.

It was stalled in the Assembly when our Speaker Anthony Rendon blasted it as "woefully incomplete." The legislation still lacks a plan to cover its $400 billion price tag, a way to control rising health care costs and a strategy to secure federal waivers needed from the government.

The bill was NOT killed, and in case no one noticed the republican party had huge loses in our state, and our Governor is Gavin Newsom who fully endorsed SB 562 as Lt. Governor, and ran on achieving that goal during his run for Governor.

Though I think the Texas judges' ruling that the ACA is unConstitutional because of the mandate removal, will be overturned by a higher court, it is now a top priority issue in California. Californians have made that very clear.

Whether SB 562 is the result, or something else we will see. There are 16 health care bills that have been proposed. California will be doing somethring on this.

[at140]

3. Have you ever seen health insurance outfits lose money?

They are serious contributors to political campaigns. Politicians seldom bite the hand
which feeds them. And no, I lived in WA state for 15 years and now in FL for 2 years.

[still_one]

4. Newsome ran on this, and the majority of Californians have made it clear they want something like

this.

The reason I inquired if you were from California is because you may not be aware of what has been going on in the state

[BigmanPigman]

7. I just renewed my ACA through Covered CA yesterday.

Another big increase...much more than the small increase in tax credits. I asked the guy on the phone if he has heard anything about changes with Newsom coming in soon. He said he hadn't.

I was disappointed when 2 weeks ago I got a survey from Newsom. He wanted people to rate their priorities with certain issues. Health care wasn't even on the list!!!!!!!!!!!! Of course I wrote that as my top priority and also wrote that the CA voters voted for this issue as their main concern and I thought that was overwhelmingly clear. I guess Newsom needs reminders.

[still_one]

8. A large part of that is the uncertainty that the republicans have injected.

If I received that survey, I would have done the same as you.

All I know is that one of Newsom's campaign promises was healthcare, and us in California expect him to honor that promise

[BigmanPigman]

9. I just googled the survey and it seems that most

of those who responded put healthcare as their top priority! Good, I didn't think I was going out on a limb.

https://laist.com/2018/12/12/what_people_really_think_governor_elect_gavin_newsom_plans.php

"Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom may have just been handed his priority list as he prepares to take office. A new survey released Wednesday by the Public Policy Institute of California shows residents give universal health care and tuition-free community college the highest priority among the programs they want funded by the state. Before winning the race for governor this year, Newsom campaigned on several high-ticket items, including health coverage for all, two years of free college tuition and universal pre-K. He also supported the high-speed rail project and Delta water project, although he has said they should be scaled back.

Now 60 percent of Californians surveyed say he should give very high or high priority to universal health care, while 53 percent say the same for free community college tuition. They gave less but still significant backing to universal preschool (48 percent) while far fewer (25 percent) view high-speed rail as a funding priority for the new governor.

However much universal health care is supported by Californians, it would cost hundreds of billions of dollars to implement. Analyses of one state Senate proposal have placed the cost at between $331 billion to $400 billion, contributing to the proposal's shelving in the Assembly. The proposal is now set to be studied by a commission.

Debate has begun on how the state might spend a $15 billion surplus that arose from a robust economy and cautious budgeting by outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown. When the state Legislature reconvenes next month, Democrats are expected to formally propose using portions of that money for social services and educational programs.

https://www.ppic.org/publication/ppic-statewide-survey-californians-and-their-government-december-2018/

[still_one]

10. That is good to hear. He should get the message loud and clear. Thanks

[at140]

11. Healthcare costs are bankrupting many families!

Medicare is a single payer system and I have been on it for a dozen years already.
Medicare does keep my healthcare costs very low, and actually I am in good health
so my costs are low anyways.

But what I wonder is Medicare is running a large deficit. I keep hearing it will go broke
in a few years. The national debt is already at obscene levels. Where will all this end?
In my opinion some serious reforms are paramount if healthcare costs can be brought
under control.

I don't see how individual states, even large one like California can do it by themselves.
The reforms have to be on federal level, JMHO.

[BigmanPigman]

12. My friend who lived in MA had Romneycare

when he was their Governor. The ACA was based on it. I don't know how it worked out for the state (how they paid for it) and if the the ACA replaced it and what the people in MA think of the difference.

[Nitram]

5. California often leads the way...

What better way to get single payer than to create a working model that could then be adopted nationally?

[SHRED]

6. Yes!!