Healthcare Reform - Single Payer The View From The States
January 6, 2023
Good Day Healthcare Advocates
Happy Christmas to those of you that celebrate today. Let’s take a deep cleansing breath to remember the January 6th attack on our democracy.
Every day we advocate for better healthcare for all of us is a good day. Thank you also to all of you advocates who have recently subscribed and to those who have asked for particular topics. Please send topics in the comment button below. Thank you.
Mission
The Healthcare delivery system in the United States is a patchwork that leaves much to be desired. It is the most expensive system among the top 35 industrial countries and covers far fewer participants delivering lower levels of quality care than many of our peer nations. This blog will provide:
Current problems in healthcare
Actions you can take
References.
Current State of Affairs – State Based Universal Care
In some countries Universal Healthcare begins as a local experiment and is then adopted by the entire country when the benefits become obvious.
State based Universal Healthcare activities are underway in 19 states. The plans propose to establish a single healthcare insurance fund managed by the state. This is called Single Payer. The states below are linked to the proposed legislation and organizations supporting it. Thank you, Healthcare-Now.
CA |CO | IA | IL | ME | MD | MA | MN | MI | NJ | NM | NY | OH | OR | PA | | RI | SC | VT | WA
Oregon is, right now, furthest along on this path. In September of 2022 the Oregon Task Force on Universal Healthcare issued their final report that contains the basic design for how such a system can be implemented. Their plan covers everyone without respect to employment status (lose your job, still insured). No copays/deductibles, covers what the ACA, Medicare, and Medicaid cover now, and increases coverage for behavioral health (mental health and substance issues) and will immediately cost Oregon $980M less in the first year.
The next step for Oregon is for the legislature to create a nonprofit public corporation subject to Oregon’s transparency laws to oversee the implementation. We look for this in the current session.
There are two complications that require attention to make a State Based single payer work. The first is obtaining a waiver from the Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services (CMS) that they will participate with the fund. The second involves The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). ERISA prevents states from modifying employee benefits if the corporation has employees in several states.
Representative Ro Khanna of California has introduced (and no doubt will again) HR3775, the State Based Universal Health Care Act of 2021 to overcome the ERISA issue for such states. When it comes up again it is worthy of support.
What You Can Do – Contact Legislators
If your state is listed above click on this link to see which organizations are advocating for State Based Universal Healthcare and get involved.
Use Resistbot below or call/email your senators and representative and say
“My name is __________________(name) and I live in __________________(zipcode) and I am your constituent. We all deserve a healthcare system that works for all of us. We need Universal Healthcare like HR1976 now so that everyone is covered and we as a country can become as competitive as possible at lower cost and I want you to support it.
Until we have it I want you to support Representative Ro Khanna’s State Based Universal Health Care Act so that states that have the initiative and the guts to implement Universal Healthcare can make it happen.”
Resistbot
Text SIGN PBTBAS to 50409 to send the letter below to your representative and senators
We all deserve a healthcare system that works for all of us. We need Universal Healthcare like HR1976 now so that everyone is covered and we as a country can become as competitive as possible at lower cost and I want you to support it.
Until we have it I want you to support Representative Ro Khanna’s State Based Universal Health Care Act so that states that have the initiative and the guts to implement Universal Healthcare can make it happen.
References
Contact elected officials
Senate email/phone
https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
House of Representatives email/phone
https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Single Payer Healthcare Resources
Healthcare-NOW
https://www.healthcare-now.org/
Physicians for a National Health Plan
Sent!