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New Single-Payer Bill Intensifies Newsom’s Political Peril

Greenbeard

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It's been fifteen years since Gov. Schwarzenegger first vetoed single-payer legislation in California, and about three years since the last major push to implement such a state-level system was shelved. Now does the prospect of a new HHS with California (and single-payer) sympathies and a governor suddenly on the ropes make it more or less likely to advance in California this time?

New Single-Payer Bill Intensifies Newsom’s Political Peril
SACRAMENTO — A group of Democratic state lawmakers introduced legislation Friday to create a single-payer health care system to cover all Californians, immediately defining the biggest health policy debate of the year and putting enormous political pressure on Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The Democratic governor faces the increasingly likely prospect of a Republican-driven recall election later this year. The single-payer bill adds to his political peril from the left if he doesn’t express support, and from the right if he does.
Nearly 20 other Assembly Democrats signed on to the legislation, which is among the first state-based single-payer proposals to be introduced under the Biden administration. Massachusetts lawmakers this year introduced similar legislation, and other states are considering it.
California’s proposal, if approved, could test the Biden administration’s willingness to grant states freedom to enact sweeping health care reforms such as a single-payer system. Becerra, California’s attorney general, has expressed unwavering support for single-payer and would be positioned to weigh in on the plan should he be confirmed as President Joe Biden’s Health and Human Services secretary. Becerra’s Senate confirmation hearings start Tuesday.

California could be a good test case if the state really wants to do it. But with a White House that's now set on bolstering the ACA instead of shredding it, perhaps some of the urgency that briefly gave single-payer momentum in California in 2017 will be lost.

 
It's been fifteen years since Gov. Schwarzenegger first vetoed single-payer legislation in California, and about three years since the last major push to implement such a state-level system was shelved. Now does the prospect of a new HHS with California (and single-payer) sympathies and a governor suddenly on the ropes make it more or less likely to advance in California this time?

California's population is 39 million. Canada's population is 37 million and we've had a fully funded single-payer system since 1957. If it will work in Canada it would work in California.
 
It's been fifteen years since Gov. Schwarzenegger first vetoed single-payer legislation in California, and about three years since the last major push to implement such a state-level system was shelved. Now does the prospect of a new HHS with California (and single-payer) sympathies and a governor suddenly on the ropes make it more or less likely to advance in California this time?

New Single-Payer Bill Intensifies Newsom’s Political Peril




California could be a good test case if the state really wants to do it. But with a White House that's now set on bolstering the ACA instead of shredding it, perhaps some of the urgency that briefly gave single-payer momentum in California in 2017 will be lost.

As CA goes, so goes the nation. It would work in CA, but I'd prefer the entire country move that way with the ACA.
 
California's population is 39 million. Canada's population is 37 million and we've had a fully funded single-payer system since 1957. If it will work in Canada it would work in California.

Not to mention its economic output is greater, and surpasses even that of the UK which also has a singlepayer system.

The main obstacle is and has always been the obstinance of dubiously motivated politicians acting in direct defiance of their constituencies, including Democrats like Anthony Rendon who spiked it immediately last time on shaky premises at best regarding funding, particularly when he's supposed to determine such things and yet he never even made an attempt to do so.
 
I like the idea of single payer as long as it means the bum on the sidewalk gets the same level of care as Gov. Newsom. Is that how it's going to work?
 
Not to mention its economic output is greater, and surpasses even that of the UK which also has a singlepayer system.

The main obstacle is and has always been the obstinance of dubiously motivated politicians acting in direct defiance of their constituencies, including Democrats like Anthony Rendon who spiked it immediately last time on shaky premises at best regarding funding, particularly when he's supposed to determine such things and yet he never even made an attempt to do so.
Good points. California GDP is 2.75T compared to Canada's 1.65T.
 
I like the idea of single payer as long as it means the bum on the sidewalk gets the same level of care as Gov. Newsom. Is that how it's going to work?
The approach is - both get adequate care.
 
The approach is - both get adequate care.

Yeah but some get more adequate care than others. There's no getting around it white privilege exists.
 
Yeah but some get more adequate care than others. There's no getting around it white privilege exists.
Before I retired I worked in the health care sector in Canada. The hospitals I was involved with treated Canadian Senators, MPs and celebrities and they all got the same rooms and services as everyone else. The exceptions were very senior politicians - Governor General or Prime Minister who were segregated mostly due to security concerns.
 
I see two weak spots with the idea:

1. California is run by unions who love a good boondoggle. I don't see how this doesn't go there immediately and self destruct alongside a LOT of tax money, and then demand more to patch it over.

2. This would be a big draw for homeless or the working poor with chronic conditions to move to California, which is something the Canadian system doesn't have to deal with as much with their nationwide system.

Either way or both, I predict massive cost overruns.
 
I see two weak spots with the idea:

1. California is run by unions who love a good boondoggle. I don't see how this doesn't go there immediately and self destruct alongside a LOT of tax money, and then demand more to patch it over.
Healthcare unions are quite strong in Canada. We survive just fine.

2. This would be a big draw for homeless or the working poor with chronic conditions to move to California, which is something the Canadian system doesn't have to deal with as much with their nationwide system.
Homeless with chronic conditions are not very mobile generally. Not an issue.

Either way or both, I predict massive cost overruns.
Couldn't possibly be higher than current costs.
 
California's population is 39 million. Canada's population is 37 million and we've had a fully funded single-payer system since 1957. If it will work in Canada it would work in California.

Scale isn't really the concern, financially it should be able to work in any state (particularly if they can access the federal funds currently spent in their state, as they should be able to under the ACA's innovation waivers). What some state needs to show is that the re-organization required to transition to single-payer is politically and economically feasible without too much collateral damage. At some point, some state needs to just step up and do it.
 
California's population is 39 million. Canada's population is 37 million and we've had a fully funded single-payer system since 1957. If it will work in Canada it would work in California.

One very important difference exists - California, unlike Canada, can’t control who enters it and establishes ‘residency’ by living rent free on the city streets or in a park.
 
One very important difference exists - California, unlike Canada, can’t control who enters it and establishes ‘residency’ by living rent free on the city streets or in a park.
But California has always been a draw hasn't it. It's the weather, the vibe, the opportunity. Doubt very much that a viable healthcare system will have that much more of an impact.
 
But California has always been a draw hasn't it. It's the weather, the vibe, the opportunity. Doubt very much that a viable healthcare system will have that much more of an impact.

We may find out. Meanwhile the increased taxation my cause those forced to pay it to seek alternative locations.
 
I like the idea of single payer as long as it means the bum on the sidewalk gets the same level of care as Gov. Newsom. Is that how it's going to work?

Pretty much.
The main benefit is just not having to worry about medical bills. There should never be a case of people not getting an ambulance because it'll financially cripple them and single payer sorts that problem. I'm unsure why people argue against that simple aspect of the system.
 
Pretty much.
The main benefit is just not having to worry about medical bills. There should never be a case of people not getting an ambulance because it'll financially cripple them and single payer sorts that problem. I'm unsure why people argue against that simple aspect of the system.

Are they going to issue medical cards with photo ID's to all the street people and illegals in California? This could be an historic occasion, I wish them all the best. You know half of them are probably overdue for their colonoscopies and heart scans.
 
We may find out. Meanwhile the increased taxation my cause those forced to pay it to seek alternative locations.
So why would there be increased taxation? Canada's cost/person is half the US. So if that cost basis becomes the case in California, even considering a few people might migrate in for the healthcare, I'd still say they'd be ahead.
 
The approach is - both get adequate care.

Yep, and only one of them pays anything for it. I’m sure that many would prefer to have Medicaid coverage (no monthly premiums, annual deductibles or co-pays) than Medicare coverage, but that form of ‘public option’ is not currently offered.
 
One very important difference exists - California, unlike Canada, can’t control who enters it and establishes ‘residency’ by living rent free on the city streets or in a park.
Are they going to issue medical cards with photo ID's to all the street people and illegals in California? This could be an historic occasion, I wish them all the best. You know half of them are probably overdue for their colonoscopies and heart scans.

California expanded its Medicaid program eleven years ago. It was one of the very first states to do so under the ACA (years before Medicaid expansion "officially" began in 2014). These talking points feel years and years out of date.
 
Plus, think of the warm fuzzy you'll get when you realize you're providing free medical care to the entire northern part of Mexico!
Who cares how much that costs?. Maybe Joe will print more money!
 
California's population is 39 million. Canada's population is 37 million and we've had a fully funded single-payer system since 1957. If it will work in Canada it would work in California.

Not if the proposed legislation is as slapdash as the last one.
Governor Moonbeam openly expressed support for a California single payer system but the bill submitted to his desk was so full of holes that he could not in good conscience signal his approval.

Sure, of COURSE California COULD have a single payer system, a successful one.
But it's going to take a lot of cooperation and a lot of work and input from across the spectrum.
And it has to be a good piece of legislation, not some crap scribbled on the equivalent of a cocktail napkin.
 
One very important difference exists - California, unlike Canada, can’t control who enters it and establishes ‘residency’ by living rent free on the city streets or in a park.

Ummm, hate to break it to ya, but that's not all that much different from Texas.
Remember, I lived down South for thirteen years, ten of them in Texas.
 
Not if the proposed legislation is as slapdash as the last one.
Governor Moonbeam openly expressed support for a California single payer system but the bill submitted to his desk was so full of holes that he could not in good conscience signal his approval.

Sure, of COURSE California COULD have a single payer system, a successful one.
But it's going to take a lot of cooperation and a lot of work and input from across the spectrum.
And it has to be a good piece of legislation, not some crap scribbled on the equivalent of a cocktail napkin.

That the proposal was filled with holes is a misrepresentation:



It's not that it was full of holes, so much as that Anthony Rendon (someone who has taken over $150k from health insurance and pharma companies; his senior advisor Eric Bauman took over $100k from pharma lobbying against Prop 61 that sought to cap prescription drug prices, with House Speaker Anthony Rendon, Senate President Kevin De Leon and Gov. Jerry Brown having received a combined $3.4 million from the health insurance industry since 2010) reflexively and unilaterally spiked it over dubious funding concerns despite the majority of those concerns having been addressed per the California Nurses Association proposal prior to the first Assembly hearing.
 
If just one of the 50 states had single payer, a lot of sick people would move there to take advantage of it.
 
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