California Healthline
April 28, 2006
Candidates Endorse Single-Payer Health System
All six candidates for the Democratic nomination for the 6th District Assembly seat support a single-payer health care system, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reports. The 6th District represents Marin and southern Sonoma counties.
http://www.californiahealthline.org/index.cfm?Action=dspItem&itemID=120829
And…
California Healthline
April 25, 2006
Candidates Support Single-Payer System
San Francisco County Supervisor Fiona Ma and Golden Gate Bridge Director Janet Reilly — candidates for the Democratic nomination for the 12th District Assembly seat — both support a single-payer health care system to expand coverage to the uninsured in California, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
http://www.californiahealthline.org/index.cfm?action=dspItem&itemID=120775&changedID=120694
Comment:
By Don McCanne, M.D.
Those who state that single payer reform is not politically feasible need to listen to the candidates. When the candidates are competing for the claim of being the one that really, really, really does support single payer, the feasibility argument fades into oblivion.
Janet Reilly’s website statement, “A Prescription for a Healthier California,” demonstrates how intense the support for single payer has become.
A Prescription for a Healthier California (Janet Reilly):
http://www.janetreilly.com/healthcare.html
Part I of her booklet expands on this:
http://www.janetreilly.com/pdf/hcare_booklet.pdf
Even the opponents understand the feasibility of single payer. Outspoken consumer-directed advocate Greg Scandlen had this to say about the flawed Massachusetts plan:
“Having it fail wouldn’t bother me,” Scandlen said, “except many people would conclude, ‘Well, we tried individual responsibility and it failed, so the only thing left is single payer.'”