BREAKING: Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin Makes History By Signing Into Law Single Payer Health Care

[sasha031]

Last month, the Vermont Senate passed legislation, approved earlier by the House, that would establish a single payer health care system in the state. The legislation would make Vermont the first state in the nation to, as Gov. Peter Shumlin (D) said, make health care “a right and not a privilege.”
The Governor’s office just confirmed for ThinkProgress that Shumlin signed the legislation into law this morning, making the state the first in American history to pass legislation that will establish a single payer health care system that will provide care to all citizens. Now that the law is signed, Vermont will spend the next four years setting up the system and preparing it for implementation.

In order to actually enact the system, the state needs a waiver from the Affordable Care Act health reform law. The federal government will start handing out state waivers in 2017 — three years after Vermont wants to implement its system. Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) has introduced an amendment that would move the waiver date up to 2014, an idea that President Obama has endorsed.
http://thinkprogress.org/2011/05/26/vermont-governor-single-payer/

[buddysmellgood]

1. The success of these programs will ultimately bring single payer to every state.

[iwishiwas]

7. I so want to believe you are right. But right now we have too many newly

elected REpug governors who are hell bent on bringing down the middle class and doing away with any and all programs for the 'common good".

[joshcryer]

12. Yep.

[Occulus]

19. The success of these programs could give cause to blue dogs and Obama to try to KILL it.

Remember, this represents a direct threat to Obama's own insurance company giveaway health care legislation. Watch for it, and plan for it. I hope that doesn't happen, but remember who it was that took single payer off the table before the discussions were even begun.

I have NO trust that this will be left alone on the Federal level, and can even see court challenges arising against it from Obama and blue dog "dems".

[buddysmellgood]

20. That would suck.

[barbtries]

2. kick and rec

good on VT

[Botany]

3. Damn those Yankees!

lower costs, longer life spans, and pretty leaves in the fall.

[sasha031]

5. Vermont is a beautiful state in more ways than one

gorgeous pic:)

[glinda]

16. And lots of snow. Love it! Everything I love.....

[Botany]

18. Bingo!

I love Rutland, VT

Smart people, nice country, gay marriage (as a straight man I never got why anybody should
care about this), and maple syrup on johnny cakes.

[KittyWampus]

4. Cuomo better take the hint.

[daleanime]

6. Wooooooo Hoooooooo!

:woohoo:

[malaise]

8. Bravo Vermont

:yourock:

[RainDog]

9. k/r n/t

[cali]

10. I'm really digging my guv.

[City Lights]

11. Vermont, here I come!

:bounce:

[hifiguy]

13. Cheers to the State of Vermont and Governor Shumlin

:toast: :party:

[Forkboy]

14. Once again, Vermont leads the way.

One of the few states I'd leave Mass for.

[ClarkUSA]

15. This is what passing HCR was meant to do. Those who wanted to "Kill The Bill" were misguided.

As one of HCR's supporters, it's good to see President Obama's plans come to fruition, as we, his supporters, knew it would back when we were defending its passage last year.

[FourScore]

17. Maybe I should move to Vermont! n/t