And the Healthcare Debate is On... In California?

In the midst of the national debate on healthcare, the California State Senate passed Senate Bill 810 this week in the hopes of creating a single-payer healthcare system for California residents. The bill would basically allow for a public option while also allowing those with private insurance to continue that coverage.

If you’d like to read the bill in its entirety, knock yourself out: http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/sen/sb_0801-0850/sb_810_bill_20100113_amended_sen_v97.pdf

Not surprisingly, the vote went almost exactly down party lines with one Democrat from Santa Ana (the reddest part of the state) voting no on the bill. Ultimately though, even if the bill makes it through the state assembly and through the Governor’s desk (which is extremely unlikely given that he has vetoed similar legislation twice already), the citizens of California will have to vote it into law in an election.

I know what you’re thinking, if this is already being done at the national level why are we putting an extra burden on ourselves? Glad you asked! After last week’s special election in Massachusetts, supporters of healthcare reform don’t believe that any meaningful reform will come out of Washington and it is now up to the states to take up the cause. (Fun fact of the day: newly elected Scott Brown of Massachusetts actually voted FOR the universal health care bill in Massachusetts when he was in the state senate. Oh and by the way, so did then-Governor, now- Republican Senator Mitt Romney.)

California is certainly not the only state to take up the cause. We’re in good company with Massachusetts, Vermont, New Mexico, Maine, and Connecticut. (http://www.newrules.org/equity/rules/singlepayer-and-universal-health-care)

Alright Schwarzy, so what’s the big problem? Well, there is the small issue of the $200 billion price tag at a time when we can’t even get a balanced budget passed. On the other hand, according to the bill’s author, Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), we’re already spending $200 billion on healthcare and this bill is, “the same $200 billion used in a more efficient, cost-effective fashion."

I don’t have a hard time believing that we’re already spending that much on healthcare, but the fact that the bill includes $1 million to set up a commission to decide how to pay for the new system does not make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

The one thing that everyone (except Republicans) seems to agree on: even if we don’t pass this legislation, it’s at least good that we’re having a debate and getting the information about healthcare (and its ginormous issues) out there.