It was widely anticipated that a new Medicare-for-All bill would be introduced no later than Feb. 22, the last day to file legislation in the California state legislature this year. However, that didn’t happen.
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According to the Healthy California Campaign, a coalition of organizations pursuing a multi-pronged approach to winning state-based single-payer health care, the expected author had decided “not to move forward with legislation” at this time.
“California has never been better positioned to achieve a single-payer healthcare system that provides access for all state residents, improves the quality and equity of care for patients and providers, and reduces exorbitant costs,” a statement from the campaign read.
“We are the state’s leading single-payer coalition and we’ve always had our work cut out for us. With the election of a governor who is a single-payer proponent and the prospect of a new president taking office in 2021, the time is now to build the component parts necessary to implement a seamless single-payer system in our state.”
The executive leadership of the Healthy California Campaign coalition includes Chair Cindy Young (board member of the California Alliance for Retired Americans); Vice Chair Sal Rosselli (president of the National Union of Healthcare Workers), and Treasurer Dan Geiger (co-founder of the Business Alliance for a Healthy California).
Dr. Paul Song, President of Physicians for a National Health Program-California, responded to the news in the following way:
“While we are disappointed that there will be no state-based single-payer bill introduced this legislative session, it will in no way diminish the rapid change in public perception and growing majority support for it.
“PNHP California will work even harder with our friends and allies to continue to educate and mobilize our fellow Californians to make the creation of a state-based plan by our legislature and Governor politically inevitable, while also demanding that our state congressional delegation support Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s federal Medicare-for-all bill and co-author a federal waiver bill to help make single payer a California reality.”
To get involved in this campaign, join the Healthy California Campaign , Physicians for a National Health Program and/or Health Care for All-California. To follow the California Medicare for All Movement, subscribe to HEAL California. For additional questions, contact Georgia Brewer, HEAL California.
Photo credit: Ryan Skolnick
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