Comments on: Root Canal For Single-Payer Health Bill

By: Geoff

Geoff — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:46:45 +0000

The fact remains that 6.6 MILLION Californians remain without access to health insurance, and 50 MILLION Americans lack it. For those (mainly Republicans) who are so hostile to Single Payer, what is your plan for getting these people covered? Or is it just to let them die? Statistically, for every million without health insurance, one thousand will die as a result annually. So that’s 1,600 California residents who will die this year as a result of our collective failure to create a system that guarantees universal access to affordable medical care.

And the estimated cost of SB 810–$250 billion–is meaningful only when compared with what we are currently paying, which the writer failed to mention.

SB 810 would have provided all residents with comprehensive health care regardless of their age, health or employment status. While controlling health care costs, the state would pay for all health care charges for care provided to residents by private doctors, hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and other providers that continue to operate as independent entities.

This health care system would NOT be “socialized health care” because the state would not run the health care delivery system. Instead, it would manage how the system is financed and provide coverage for all residents based on a single standard of care for everyone.

By: Beelzebub

Beelzebub — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:29:41 +0000

The fact remains that the current health care system in the United States needs massive reform. With many millions of boomers retiring in the next 10 years the medicare system isn’t sustainable. We can fix the social security system with a few changes. Medicare can’t be fixed without changing the entire health care system. Obamacare isn’t reform. It does more damage than good. Reforming the health care system is probably the most critical challenge facing America.

By: Soquel Creek

Soquel Creek — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:29:35 +0000

One only had to read the analysis for this Bill to know that it was DOA.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/sen/sb_0801-0850/sb_810_cfa_20120119_105427_sen_comm.html

* It would combine the existing PUBLIC health care system, the PRIVATE health care system, and the UNINSURED under one happy, all-powerful umbrella–a new state-run, single-payer system called the California Healthcare System (CHS).

* The annual estimated cost is _only_ $200 to $250 BILLION, or more than double the state’s current income tax revenues! Think there’d be new taxes?

* It would specific forbid private-sector alternatives to the CHS offerings. Want better service and a lower price? Forget about it. You could be private-sector add-ons, however.

Given the Legislature’s stellar record of fiscal sanity and efficiency, this paragraph provided extra concern:

“There would be ongoing General Fund pressure in the millions to billions of dollars because this bill would provide that the General Fund would be responsible for providing loans to the Healthcare Fund in the event of a shortfall or the delayed passage of the state’s annual Budget Act.”

A shortfall or delayed passage of the annual budget? I thought that both were mandatory in California. Yikes!