I’m glad to see James A. Morone’s proposal has put single payer back in the national debate.
As you say, a value added tax and an employer option for supplementary insurance, could be considered “details” that might divert attention of “some single payer advocates.” However, I believe that every single payer advocate should find the provision of “automatic coverage for all legal residents of every age” a deal breaker.
Those of us who are single payer advocates in California will remember the very bad repercussions in 1994 (and into the following years) because Prop. 186 didn’t provide coverage to the undocumented.
We know from studies that the savings single payer achieves can fund high quality health care for all. Drawing on the findings for the single payer proposals in the state’s Health Care Options Project, for example, Senator Sheila Kuehl is committed to a single payer bill that will provide coverage to all California residents.
I hope in the future you can use the message of the day to raise a discussion about real universal coverage with single payer versus the kind proposed by Mornoe.
Dan Hodges
