Build it and they will come.


http://www.latimes.com/politic...mlstory.html?ref=yfp

A proposal to adopt a single-payer healthcare system for California took an initial step forward Thursday when the state Senate approved a bare-bones bill that lacks a method for paying the $400-billion cost of the plan.

The proposal was made by legislators led by Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) at the same time President Trump and Republican members of Congress are working to repeal and replace the federal Affordable Care Act.

“Despite the incredible progress California has made, millions still do not have access to health insurance and millions more cannot afford the high deductibles and co-pays, and they often forgo care,” Lara said during a floor debate on the bill.

The bill, which now goes to the state Assembly for consideration, will have to be further developed, Lara conceded, adding he hopes to reach a consensus on a way to pay for it.

Republican senators opposed the bill as a threat to the state’s finances.

“We don’t have the money to pay for it,” Sen. Tom Berryhill (R-Modesto) said. “If we cut every single program and expense from the state budget and redirected that money to this bill, SB 562, we wouldn’t even cover half of the $400-billion price tag.”

Berryhill also said the private sector is better suited to provide healthcare.

“I absolutely don’t trust the government to run our health system,” he said. “What has the government ever done right?”

Lara’s bill would provide a Medicare-for-all-type system that he believed would guarantee health coverage for all Californians without the out-of-pocket costs. Under a single-payer plan, the government replaces private insurance companies, paying doctors and hospitals for healthcare.

The California Nurses Assn., which sponsored the bill, released a fiscal analysis this week that proposed raising the state sales and business receipts taxes by 2.3% to raise $106 billion of the annual cost, with the rest proposed to come from state and federal funding already going to Medicare and Medicaid services.

Sen. Ted Gaines (R-El Dorado Hills) called the plan “reckless” and said the taxes would hurt businesses and families while financially crippling the state government.

“It’s offensive to the people who have to pay for it,” he said.

Some Democrats felt the bill was rushed and undeveloped. Sen. Ben Hueso (D-San Diego) withheld his vote on the bill on grounds it does not provide enough detail of what a single-payer system would look like.

“This is the Senate kicking the can down the road to the Assembly and asking the Assembly to fill in all of the blanks,” Hueso said. “That’s not going to happen this year.”

Lara said action is required because of what is happening in Washington.

“With President Trump’s promise to abandon the Affordable Care Act as we know it — for one that leaves millions without access to care — California is once again tasked to lead," he told his colleagues.

He said his father recently had heart bypass surgery but went through the emergency room for help after his insurance company initially turned him down.

Even if the bill is approved, it has to go to Gov. Jerry Brown, who has been skeptical, and then voters would have to exempt it from spending limits and budget formulas in the state Constitution. In addition, the state would have to get federal approval to repurpose existing funds for Medicare and Medicaid.

As with all socialized medicine, the costs go up as bureaucrats and consumers abuse the system. The quality and availability of health services goes down. Many of the more capable healthcare professionals relocate (or serve only "private" patients who can pay for the services themselves). Raising tax rates to pay for the services will drive business away, actual tax collections may increase little, if at all.

I am skeptical of Gov Brown being skeptical -- he may give some lip service, but once he has his gravy taken care of, he will sign it.

Kaiser Permanente, the largest private employer in the state, insures 8.5 million Californians. Although in the old days it was considered "socialized medicine", it is in fact the last effective bastion of private, doctor-controlled medical care. KP is strongly opposed to the single-payer program, it would put the insurance portion of KP out of business. The rest of the organization could survive, but would in my opinion be severely hampered by the constraints of state-paid, state-controlled medicine. Politicians will promise more than they are willing to pay for. Even KP cannot sustain that kind of scam.

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Originally posted by tanner:
“What has the government ever done right?”

Just once, I'd like an answer to that question. In my experience, I can't think of a single thing.

quote:

In addition, the state would have to get federal approval to repurpose existing funds for Medicare and Medicaid.

Yeah, good luck with that one morons. Your sanctuary city BS is soon to take huge amounts of federal money out of your coffers, so adding on more expenses...yeah, brilliant.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:

quote:

Originally posted by tanner:
“What has the government ever done right?”

Just once, I'd like an answer to that question. In my experience, I can't think of a single thing.

Well, I can't provide a counterexample, if one does exist, but here's a history-book-full of blunders that prove your point.

quote:

“Despite the incredible progress California has made, millions still do not have access to health insurance and millions more cannot afford the high deductibles and co-pays, and they often forgo care,” Lara said during a floor debate on the bill.

Progress?

So explain to me if Obamacare is all that and a bag of chips, how is it millions do not have access to health care or can't afford it.

And the millions you plan to provide coverage for? Get ready for that number to multiply 10 fold once the illegals realize a little swim will get them and their babies and cousins health care.

All these fuckers that are already there are taking advantage of the system now. Need s trip to the doc because baby has the sniffles? Just go to urgent care. The unpaid bill will be subsidized by the premiums paid by law abiding, tax paying citizens. Now not only will they be stuck with those high premiums (you don't think they'll go down because the state is going to "foot the bill") but they'll also get to cover it out of their higher taxes.

But the quality of living is so high there

California needs one of those money trees my dad used to tell me we didn't have one of.

California & PR should get together on a mutual plans seeing they are so fiscally sound? Maybe even grow beanstalks so the residents can climb out of fantasyland..

Want to see what government run health care looks like? Go to the VA. Yeah, there's you a shining example of why we as a nation should be running away form single payer. But, hey, they are just vets, and its not the same as real people. :roll eyes:

They should, however, title the bill "How CA is going to run more businesses out of the state healthcare bill".

quote:

Want to see what government run health care looks like? Go to the VA. Yeah, there's you a shining example of why we as a nation should be running away form single payer.

They really don't care about the quality... as long as everyone is "covered".

They also don't care about how they are going to pay for it or what the effects will be. That can all be sorted out later. It's 'historic' you know, and that's all that matters!

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:

quote:

Originally posted by tanner:
“What has the government ever done right?”

Just once, I'd like an answer to that question. In my experience, I can't think of a single thing.

Beat the Germans and the Japanese in World War II?

I read somewhere that this health plan costs more than the actual California state budget? AND, we the working class will pay/subsidize it. I guaranf@@kentee you we will move if this shithole state moves to this.

So, what's new? CA has been inventing ways to burn through cash with no means to pay for it since the birth of Christ.

There's been no pain as a result of overspending so far so why stop now?

quote:

Originally posted by urbanwarrior238:
I read somewhere that this health plan costs more than the actual California state budget? AND, we the working class will pay/subsidize it. I guaranf@@kentee you we will move if this shithole state moves to this.

State budget is $180B. Single payer health care for CA would be $400B. That simple math - contained in just one sentence - escapes many morons of the state legislature.

I will retire out of state.

quote:

Originally posted by urbanwarrior238:
I read somewhere that this health plan costs more than the actual California state budget? AND, we the working class will pay/subsidize it. I guaranf@@kentee you we will move if this shithole state moves to this.

Well, kalifornistan is only TWO TRILLION DOLLARS IN DEBT.

So another half a trillion should not matter.

And the sad part is that when it collapses we non-kali tax payers will end up paying it. For da chirren, ya know.

quote:

Sen. Ben Hueso (D-San Diego)

Nyerk, nyerk, nyerk. So if Lara is mean to Hueso, does that make Lara bad to the bone?

quote:

Lara said action is required because of what is happening in Washington.

“With President Trump’s promise to abandon the Affordable Care Act as we know it — for one that leaves millions without access to care — California is once again tasked to lead," he told his colleagues.

So the American people, acting through the Federal government, have made it clear that they are no longer willing to pay for ObamaCare or anything like it - and your response is to "lead" by demanding the feds repurpose their spending to cover spending you want to do to replace the federal spending that will no longer occur.

Mmmmm, "leadership".

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:

quote:

Originally posted by tanner:
“What has the government ever done right?”

Just once, I'd like an answer to that question. In my experience, I can't think of a single thing.

Beat the Germans and the Japanese in World War II?

Come on. Really? You're going to give that one to the government? Some of the biggest failures in that war were specifically due to government meddling. If not for the likes of MacArthur, Nimitz, and other military leaders winning it for them, government would have completely hosed up the entire war. And even if I did agree with you, that's one somewhat ancient success across the 200+ years of the US government? Again, really?

quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:

quote:

Want to see what government run health care looks like? Go to the VA. Yeah, there's you a shining example of why we as a nation should be running away form single payer.

They really don't care about the quality... as long as everyone is "covered".

But this is a bit different due to the scope. I wish someone would ask these nitwits to explain the difference between health insurance and health care. The terms are used synonymously but they are obviously worlds apart in reality. No way, even if passed, could California provide access to healthcare for everyone in the state, even if wait times were quadrupled. That fantasy is every bit as absurd as the cost of this monstrosity being 'manageable'.

I believe this was passed in an 'unfinished' form for a reason, because any attempt to draw it all together would have proven to be impossible, even for the delusional idiot liberals in the state.

quote:

I wish someone would ask these nitwits to explain the difference between health insurance and health care. The terms are used synonymously but they are obviously worlds apart in reality.

One sounds like something I have to pay for?
I want the free one!