Lawmakers to Consider Government System to Replace Private Insurance
::: Anna Gorman ::: California Healthline
Legislation introduced in the state Senate on Feb. 17 would set California on a path toward the possible creation of a single-payer healthcare system ― a proposal that has failed to gain traction here in the past.
The bill, which is a preliminary step, says that it is the “intent of the Legislature” to enact a law that would establish a comprehensive, single-payer health care program for the benefit of everyone in the state. The legislation, introduced by state Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens), does not offer specifics of what the plan would look like, nor does it mention a timetable.
A single-payer system would replace private insurance with a government plan that pays for coverage for everyone. Proponents argue that single-payer systems make health care more affordable and efficient, but opponents say they raise taxpayer costs and give government too much power.
Medicare, the federally funded health coverage for the elderly, is often held up as a model of what a single-payer system might look like. The article is here.
