Yes, SB 562 the single payer bill supported by our incumbent state senator is still ready to advance through the legislature even though the speaker of the assembly decided to give it an impasse. The nurse’s union, Gavin Newsom and my incumbent are deluded to think that single payer will be the salvation for the people of our state and my district.
I agree that people in the 20th State Senate District want improved access to health care and services. Our district is one of the top fourth of those not doing that well economically and people are thirsty for a solution even if it wrecks the health care infrastructure.
It is a mistake that our incumbent voted for this bill when the provisions were not fully explained. Single payer may be the red meat for the supporters of the incumbent, but the principles of the legislation are not going to be sustainable. It will not be like a buffet lunch at a top Las Vegas casino with SB 562 which the proponents are trying to tell the state it will become where they state that you can get all the services you need with no co-payments, deductibles, or insurance premiums and they will not care about your residency status in the country either. However, you will be paying more taxes in exchange for an increased role of the state in health care.
With so many people wanting health care its highly likely that the infrastructure will be stressed. The budget will be rationed just as much as private sector health insurance programs. It will not be like cake and ice cream for all. We must come up with an estimated 400 billion dollars a year to fund this program yearly. To help come up with the funding the Democrats in our state who have been resisting the Republicans will have to convince them to surrender Medicare and Medicaid money to the state of California if they keep control of the presidency or either chamber of the legislature in the coming years. Senior citizens will be reluctant to sacrifice the federal maintained program in exchanged for the California managed program. How will we be funding this severely costly program that will cost more than four Jerry Brown rail systems each year was the most integral part that the authors Atkins and Lara failed to share to the public.
Due to Republicans and President Trump wanting to dismantle the “Affordable Care Act” California Democrats are looking for solutions in California. Yes, we will have an individual mandate like how Massachusetts had one prior to the Obama led effort. However, with these regulations it has led to health care becoming more expensive when you do not qualify for subsidies or employer sponsored health care. This has led to Republicans wanting to dismantle the federal law. I can understand Democrats want to help cover more people in our state, but we should focus primarily on citizens and legal residents only. We can not afford to be the state for medical tourism because the already taxed to death Californians are urged to be the medical way station for the world. Any health care legislation should not subsidize people who reside in our state illegally for any elective health care at the very least.
Unless the United States goes to a single payer system, its highly unlikely California will go single payer. Vermont failed going single payer and its highly likely California’s system will bust even if it gets implemented in six to eight years from now.