Lt. Gov. John Garamendi (D) is touring California to gather support for a state-run, single-payer health care system, the Fresno Bee reports.
Garamendi on Monday stumped for universal health care in Los Angeles and Fresno. The lieutenant governor then was headed to Sacramento and Alameda to tout a single-payer, state-run health system similar to Medicare or the insurance plans provided to California teachers and federal employees.
Garamendi said health care legislation will be passed this year “but the question is what will it be.” He added, “If it’s for children only, that’s good, but it’s far and away from what needs to be done.”
He added, “We have seven days ahead of us to take a gigantic step forward for universal health care. We’ll either succeed or stall out, but the fight isn’t over” (Lloyd, Fresno Bee, 9/4).