Vermont's single payer insurance system, an option under the ACA, is now at risk.

The Democratic governor barely squeaked out a victory in the re-election, and this jeopardizes his mission to bring single-payer to Vermont.

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20141106/NEWS03/711069868

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Because no candidate received 50 percent of the vote, the Vermont Constitution requires the newly elected Legislature, which is heavily controlled by Democrats, to select a governor.

What looks to be an extremely narrow margin of victory for Shumlin casts into doubt the governor’s dream of implementing a single-payer health care system in Vermont and could damage any future political ambitions he holds. But Shumlin dismissed any notion that his political future was over, or that he would be viewed as a lame duck by lawmakers.

“A week in politics is a long time,” he said. “Two weeks is even longer.”

At his Wednesday news conference, Shumlin seemed to retreat from his steadfast commitment to a single-payer health care proposal, now promising to continue reform efforts for universal, affordable and quality health care but not mentioning single payer.

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