Single-Payer Health Care Approved By California Senate

[Joanne98]

The California Senate approved creating a government-run health care system for the nation's most populous state on Thursday, ignoring a veto threat from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Supporters said it is time for state legislatures to take up the debate as the Obama Administration's national health care proposal falters in Congress.

"If it's not to be done at the national level, let us take the lead," said state Sen. Christine Kehoe, D-San Diego.

The move in California comes after Massachusetts voters changed the calculus in Congress by electing a Republican to the Senate who opposes the pending plan.

Democrats are the majority in both houses of the California Legislature. The 40-member state Senate passed the single-payer plan on a 22-14 vote, sending it to the Assembly. One Democrat voted against the measure.

Schwarzenegger promised to veto the proposal, as he has two similar plans that previously reached his desk. Spokeswoman Rachel Arrezola cited the state's massive budget cuts and looming $20 billion deficit in arguing the state cannot afford to shift to a single-payer health care system.

"Any elected official who thinks it's a good idea to strap the state with tens of billions of dollars from a government-run health care system is clearly not in touch with what voters need and deserve," Arrezola said.

The proposal by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, authorizes $1 million to establish a commission that would decide how to pay for the system. The funding plan would ultimately have to be approved by voters.

Leno argued the state-run plan would replace the $200 billion Californians already pay for their health care while eliminating insurance companies' share. He previously said the system could use existing state and federal money and a payroll tax, coupled with increased efficiencies from a government-run system.

"We are spending $200 billion currently," Leno said. "It is the same $200 billion used in a more efficient, cost-effective fashion."

Republicans derided the timing of the vote, saying Democrats are ignoring the lesson in Massachusetts at their political peril.

Continued>>>
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2010/01/single-payer_health_care_approved_by_california_se.php?ref=fpa

[gateley]

1. Wow! Hope it makes its way up the Coast. nt

[anonymous171]

25. Me too! nt

[upi402]

2. I hope schizophrenia is covered

cuz the whole damn state has me confused like a mother...

[Duer 157099]

5. ...not to mention whiplash

Boy I have all my fingers crossed that there's substance to this and that something actually happens here.

[inna]

8. ???

Huh?

[mzmolly]

3. Awesome!

:toast:

[Luciferous]

4. Good. I hope they do it, and it's hugely successful, and other

states follow their lead. Do it just like Canada did. And fuck Schwarzenegger...

[Grey]

6. What a good idea,

That's how it worked in Canada, at the Provincial level. Till, finally, the Federal Government couldn't ignore it.
I've always felt that would have to be the process in the US.

[Luminous Animal]

7. I just posted this in DU's CA forum. Californian's need to contact their assemblycritters.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=141x36453

Contact search here:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html

Arnie says he will veto single payer (like he's done 2 times before), so send him a message as well.
http://gov.ca.gov/interact#contact

The California Nurses Association press release:
http://www.calnurses.org/media-center/press-releases/2010/january/major-advance-for-california-healthcare-reform-as-senate-passes-medicare-for-all-legislation.html

[inna]

9. KR

:kick:

:kick:

[mike_c]

10. where's Jerry Brown when we really need him...?

Schwarzenegger is a short timer. He might kill single payer one more time before we show him the door, but it's hard to imagine that the governorship won't change parties in 2010, and I'm hoping that Jerry Brown runs, breaking the California Democratic Party's recent run of piss poor gubernatorial candidates. And wouldn't it be ironic if Brown figured out some way-- constitutional revision, anyone?-- to undo the damage Prop 13 has done?

[abelenkpe]

11. woo hoo!

That would be fantastic! Please please please let this happen....

[John Q. Citizen]

12. Repo's know just how popular single payer is. They are scared. Look at what they are saying.

I recall the Repos warning the Dems about installing Dean as Party Chair.

That didn't hurt the Dems none, even though the Repos all predicted disaster. Same with this.

[glitch]

15. And they are totally misreading MA. nt

[corpseratemedia]

13. let the dominos begin falling

states that is...to single-payer! CA lead the way!

[demosincebirth]

14. The Governator vetoed the last one. No chance to pass unless

we get a Dem in office.

[azul]

19. The budget crisis is so severe he might not have the option.

If the financial prognostications can show a substantial cost savings, Mr Budgetbalancer-openup-the-books-blowup-the-boxes will have to STFU and sign it.

[slay]

16. K&R

good for them!@

[Greyhound]

17. Good for California. We've got to keep trying...

:kick: & R

[freddie mertz]

18. This should be the model for national legislation.

Forget the predatory mandates.

Pass single payer now.

[Xenotime]

20. Thank you cali for setting the standard.

[emsimon33]

21. California would really benefit from this

New businesses would flourish. People would move back creating housing boom. It's a great idea, of course, Arnold is such a dud as a governor that he would not support such innovation.

[Overseas]

22. K&R, yes please ! //nt

[Canuckistanian]

23. What? How did this slip by the Insurance companies?

This is good news!

[ddeclue]

24. Ahnolt will tehminate this one...

sorry but it's true.

[Zomby Woof]

26. Great - but we need a way to pay for it

Aside from what Leno said, as long as Prop 13 remains intact, and a supermajority in the state lege of 2/3'rds is required to pass a tax increase, the bill's demise is a foregone conclusion. Our state is going down the proverbial toilet bowl.