Leno´s Single-Payer, Universal Health Care Bill Clears Senate
California Political Desk
January 29, 2010
SACRAMENTO – The California Senate today passed legislation that guarantees all Californians comprehensive, universal health care. The California Universal Health Care Act, authored by Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), is the only health care reform proposal that is proven to contain health care costs while simultaneously improving quality of care and the delivery of services.
"Solving health care isn´t about leftwing or rightwing politics – it´s about the future of the middle class," said Senator Leno. "Our state is being bankrupted by out of control health care costs, and a single-payer universal health care system has been proven to save billions of dollars a year for businesses, families and government," he said.
The California Universal Health Care Act creates a private-public partnership to provide every California resident medical, dental, vision, hospitalization and prescription drug benefits and allows patients to choose their own doctors and hospitals. This "Medicare for All" type of program works by pooling together the money that government, employers and individuals already spend on health care and putting it to better use by cutting out the for-profit middle man. Currently California spends $200 billion annually on a fragmented, inefficient health care system that wastes 30% of every dollar on administration. With SB 810, that wasteful spending is eliminated. The bill creates no new spending, and in fact, studies show that the state would save $8 billion in the first year under this single-payer health care plan.
"The real impetus behind this bill is a growing grassroots movement representing millions of Californians who want a health care system that takes care of their families and is affordable for themselves and employers," Senator Leno said. "At a time when millions of Californians are at risk of losing their health coverage and employers are being strangled by rising premiums, there is no choice but to stand up to insurance companies that squander 30% of every health care dollar on administrative overhead."
SB 810 is sponsored and supported by a broad coalition of patients, nurses, doctors, teachers and school employees, small businesses, faith community members, retirees, local governments and school districts. These groups represent more than 2 million Californians. The bill is also sponsored by the California Nurses Association, California School Employees Association, Health Care for All California, California Physicians Alliance, California Teachers Association, California Council of Churches, League of Women Voters, California Health Professional Student Alliance, California Consumer Federation, California Alliance for Retired Americans, Single Payer Now and Progressive Democrats of America.
"California has an opportunity to chart a new course for the nation and to guarantee health care for every one of our patients through SB 810," said Geri Jenkins, RN, co-president of the California Nurses Association and National Nurses United, sponsors of the bill. "Broad federal legislation looks less likely every day now, but the need for comprehensive reform has never been greater," Jenkins said.
The California Universal Health Care Act is nearly identical to legislation (SB 840) introduced in 2007 by former Senator Sheila Kuehl. The California Legislature passed SB 840 in 2008, but it was vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
"Solving health care isn´t about leftwing or rightwing politics – it´s about the future of the middle class," said Senator Leno. "Our state is being bankrupted by out of control health care costs, and a single-payer universal health care system has been proven to save billions of dollars a year for businesses, families and government," he said.
The California Universal Health Care Act creates a private-public partnership to provide every California resident medical, dental, vision, hospitalization and prescription drug benefits and allows patients to choose their own doctors and hospitals. This "Medicare for All" type of program works by pooling together the money that government, employers and individuals already spend on health care and putting it to better use by cutting out the for-profit middle man. Currently California spends $200 billion annually on a fragmented, inefficient health care system that wastes 30% of every dollar on administration. With SB 810, that wasteful spending is eliminated. The bill creates no new spending, and in fact, studies show that the state would save $8 billion in the first year under this single-payer health care plan.
"The real impetus behind this bill is a growing grassroots movement representing millions of Californians who want a health care system that takes care of their families and is affordable for themselves and employers," Senator Leno said. "At a time when millions of Californians are at risk of losing their health coverage and employers are being strangled by rising premiums, there is no choice but to stand up to insurance companies that squander 30% of every health care dollar on administrative overhead."
SB 810 is sponsored and supported by a broad coalition of patients, nurses, doctors, teachers and school employees, small businesses, faith community members, retirees, local governments and school districts. These groups represent more than 2 million Californians. The bill is also sponsored by the California Nurses Association, California School Employees Association, Health Care for All California, California Physicians Alliance, California Teachers Association, California Council of Churches, League of Women Voters, California Health Professional Student Alliance, California Consumer Federation, California Alliance for Retired Americans, Single Payer Now and Progressive Democrats of America.
"California has an opportunity to chart a new course for the nation and to guarantee health care for every one of our patients through SB 810," said Geri Jenkins, RN, co-president of the California Nurses Association and National Nurses United, sponsors of the bill. "Broad federal legislation looks less likely every day now, but the need for comprehensive reform has never been greater," Jenkins said.
The California Universal Health Care Act is nearly identical to legislation (SB 840) introduced in 2007 by former Senator Sheila Kuehl. The California Legislature passed SB 840 in 2008, but it was vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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