California’s New Attempt at Universal Health Care Legislation

TL/DR –

California lawmakers have reintroduced a universal health care bill, AB 2200, that aims to establish a single-payer, state-run coverage system called CalCare. The proposed program, which would incorporate existing federal and state health provisions, has faced opposition in the past due to its estimated cost of between $494 billion and $552 billion. Despite the high price tag and other unresolved issues, there is hope for the bill’s passage due to increased support from single-payer-friendly leaders and a popular shift towards universal health care, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

California Lawmakers Reintroduce Universal Health Care Bill

California lawmakers have reintroduced a universal health care bill, known as AB 2200. The bill aims to establish CalCare, a single-payer, state-run coverage system, designed to control health care costs for all Californians.

The bill proposes that CalCare covers a comprehensive range of medical benefits and other services. It also intends to incorporate the health care benefits and standards of existing federal and state provisions. These include Medi-Cal, the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program, ancillary health care services provided by regional centers for individuals with developmental disabilities, Knox-Keene, and federal Medicare, according to the bill’s text.

Previous iterations of the bill met resistance due to its high cost. Legislative analysts have estimated it could cost between $494 billion and $552 billion to fund CalCare. This high cost led to a lack of support for a similar CalCare bill in 2022.

However, the latest version of the bill may garner more support with single-payer-friendly leaders in the state legislature, as reported by Politico. Despite this, the bill’s funding structure is yet to be resolved, and the state’s overall budget deficit could present hurdles.

Assemblymember Liz Ortega, a Democrat from Hayward and co-author of the bill, remains hopeful, indicating the pandemic has intensified people’s desire for accessible healthcare. She shared these sentiments at a Sacramento rally ahead of the Assembly Committee on Health meeting to discuss the bill.

Though single-payer health care is popular in other countries and with progressive lawmakers, no states have yet to implement it. The bill requires approval from the state legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature to become law.

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