Update:
Update:
The California Senate Health Committee this afternoon, Wednesday, April 26th, just voted 5-1 with three Senators still to vote to pass SB 562, single-payer, universal health care through their committee.
The California Senate Health Committee staff completed an analysis of SB 562, Universal, Single Payer, ‘Medicare for All’ legislation yesterday — legislation authored by Senator Ricardo Lara that will come before the committee this afternoon, Wednesday, April 26th.
In the report is a list of 206 supporting organizations (starting on page 15) and those in opposition. The supporting organizations span an incredible spectrum, from a number of large labor unions to Sue’s Hair Salon, from homeless people’s organizations to the City of Los Angeles, from neighborhood associations to the Courage Campaign.
The opposition is, shall we politely say, not so broad, nor so deep: Out of forty-three organizations listed in opposition there are twelve that are either health insurers or organizations of health insurers and nineteen Chambers of Commerce or similar, not to mention (surprise!) the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
America’s Health Insurance Plans
Anthem Blue Cross
Association of California Insurance Companies
Association of California Life & Health Insurance Companies
Bay Area Council
Blue Shield of California
California Association of Health Plans
California Association of Health Underwriters
California Chamber of Commerce
California Farm Bureau Federation
California Framing Contractors Association
California League of Food Processors
California Manufacturers & Technology Association
California Professional Association of Specialty Contractors
California Retailers Association
California Taxpayers Association
California Trucking Association
Camarillo Chamber of Commerce
El Centro Chamber of Commerce and Tourist Bureau
Fresno Chamber of Commerce
Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce
Greater San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce
Health Net
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of California
Kaiser Permanente
Long Beach Chamber of Commerce
Murrieta Chamber of Commerce
Molina Healthcare
National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors of California
National Federation of Independent Business
North Orange County Chamber of Commerce
Oceanside Chamber of Commerce
Orange County Business Council
Oxnard Chamber of Commerce
Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce and Tourist Bureau
Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce
South Bay Association of Chambers of Commerce
Southwest California Legislative Council
Torrance Chamber of Commerce
Valley Industry and Commerce Association
Western Growers Association
Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce
That insurers who will go out of business are in opposition is at least understandable. That business associations don’t want their employees (and themselves!) to be guaranteed medical coverage and care is simply despicable. There should be a special circle of hell for Chambers of Commerce, but I would settle for even just a few degrees of arc.
There will be a rally beginning at 11:00 AM in Sacramento today (Wednesday, April 26th), organized by the California Nurses Association. Buses have been arriving in Sacramento from all over the state as I type, filled with individuals supporting health care as a right. You should be able to watch the rally here.
The bill is scheduled to be heard in committee starting at 1:30 PM. The hearing can be viewed here.
California lawmakers are considering an audacious proposal that would substantially remake the state's health care system by eliminating insurance companies and guaranteeing coverage for everyone.
Hundreds of nurses are planning to rally Wednesday in Sacramento ahead of a hearing in the Senate Health Committee.
"We have the chance to make universal health care a reality now," Sen. Ricardo Lara, D-Bell Gardens, said last month. "It's time to talk about how we get to health care for all that covers more and costs less."
The measure would guarantee health coverage with no out-of-pocket costs for all residents of California, including people living in the country illegally. Private insurers would be barred from covering the same services, essentially eliminating them from the marketplace. Instead, a new state agency would contract with health care providers such as doctors and hospitals and pay the bills for everyone.
www.scpr.org/...
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By the way, Daily Kos isn’t on the list of supporting orgs, even though they have lent their name to the Courage Campaign’s petition in support of SB 562, which you can sign.
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Background: It's Getting Real: Healthcare 4 All - An Analysis of SB562, CA's Single Payer Healthcare Legislation
SB 562 Legislation text as it currently stands.