California Senate passes bill for single-payer health plan

[alp227]

The California Senate on Thursday passed a measure to create a state-run, single-payer health system.

The 22-14 vote was nearly party-line, with one Democrat, Sen. Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana, voting no. It now moves to the Assembly.

The proposal would create the California Health System, which would be funded by pooling all federal and state money California currently spends on health care and a yet-to-be-determined payroll tax. It is anticipated to cost about $200 billion a year. All state residents would be provided health care and people could buy private health care to cover services not offered through the state plan.

The governor has vetoed similar bills in the past.

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/29/BAON1BP9AE.DTL

Good to see California doing the same thing as Massachusetts and Oregon now. The question is, with California so deep in the red, will this really help ease the deficit, as President Obama suggested health care reform would do for the federal budget?

[DrZeeLit]

1. Used to be... as CA goes, so goes the nation -- eventually.

Like with car emissions, mileage standards, and carpool lanes..... and a bunch of other stuff.

This is a good sign of the times!

[Hello_Kitty]

2. If it's pooling existing funding with a payroll tax it shouldn't increase the deficit.

Looks like they figured out how to pay for it.

[1]

3. heh. california being california. pass it, and we'll figure out how to pay for it down the road...

[Cleita]

5. There's plenty of money to tax in California of the super rich who aren't

paying their fair share. No Republicans will tax those people and entities, which are persons today also, thanks to the Supreme Court, because their campaign contributions get them in office including Arnold. If we get a good Democrat in, there is no problem with funding. We might get our free education through the university level back too.

[1]

6. no question. but california can't pass new taxes. and california can't pay for existing services...

so proposing to add another $200B to the obligations seems a bit... "california" don't you think?

[Cleita]

4. They keep passing it and Arnold keeps vetoing it.

Why don't they wait until we get a Democrat as governor? I'm sure we will because everyone is fed up with Arnold and the Republicans.