I was hoping for its passage and success--then to be used a model for other states.

Link to tweet

But sooner or later someone will come along and tell us how single payer will never pass even if Jesus himself pushed for it so killing this bill was okay.

Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) released the following statement on health care:

“Yesterday, Republicans in the U.S. Senate released a cynical plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act, posing a real and immediate threat to millions of Californians who only have health coverage because of the ACA.

“Preparing California to meet this threat must be the top health care priority for the Legislature, Governor Brown, and organizations that advocate for increasing access to health care.

“As someone who has long been a supporter of single payer, I am encouraged by the conversation begun by Senate Bill 562.

“However, SB 562 was sent to the Assembly woefully incomplete. Even senators who voted for SB 562 noted there are potentially fatal flaws in the bill, including the fact it does not address many serious issues, such as financing, delivery of care, cost controls, or the realities of needed action by the Trump Administration and voters to make SB 562 a genuine piece of legislation.

“In light of this, I have decided SB 562 will remain in the Assembly Rules Committee until further notice.

“Because this is the first year of a two-year session, this action does not mean SB 562 is dead. In fact, it leaves open the exact deep discussion and debate the senators who voted for SB 562 repeatedly said is needed.

“The Senate can use that time to fill the holes in SB 562 and pass and send to the Assembly workable legislation that addresses financing, delivery of care, and cost control.

“The fight for single payer also is moving forward on other fronts. The head of the Campaign for a Healthy California, an organization created to pass SB 562, has acknowledged their ultimate goal is to get a single payer initiative on the ballot, and there remains ample time for them to pursue that before November 2018.

“As those potential options work themselves out, the Assembly will stand with our partners to focus on the real, immediate threat to Californians' health care posed by Republicans in Washington.”

https://speaker.asmdc.org/press-releases/speaker-rendon-statement-health-care

rather than put something forward that will go down in flames.

"realities of needed action by the trump administration" means.

anyone?

unwilling to allow

She wrote: "Felt like I should be the one to break the news. Single payer bill is not moving forward. I was on a call with both CA senators about the ACA repeal today and trust me, with what's going on federally right now it's really for the best. Below is a press release from the leader of the Assembly."

She then included Speaker Rendon's statement. As strongly as I feel that California should enact SB 562, I can't really argue with Rendon's logic. The federal situation is exponentially worse and needs to be fought tooth and nail right now with every resource available.

SB 562 is not going away; it's just going to simmer on the back burner for a time while we deal with the national crisis.

to give Obamacare a chance to work.

I find it worrisome that this bill has been shelved after making it through one legislative body. I understand the logic behind it, but bills go off to die in many ways, and I wonder if putting the bill out of sight will also put it out of mind.

I don't see the Rs in DC putting their healthcare debacle on hold until all the kinks are worked out. Hell, they may not even wait for the CBO score. They'll push it through and worry about challenges later. Sure, the CA bill does have major issues when it comes to funding (because the Rs in DC will most likely deny the use of existing Fed funding to support the bill), but why not keep this bill front and center while the debate is raging across the country on tRumpcare?

Gov. Brown has already expressed concerns about funding SB 562, since we currently receive well over $100 billion annually in federal money for Medi-Cal and other healthcare programs already, and that is now at risk. Getting the bill through the legislature before the federal funding situation is solidified can't happen. It would be short-sighted, at best, and certainly vetoed by Brown on those grounds.

Yes, SB 562 would save the state billions once up and running. However, the initial costs of getting the program off the ground are high and accomplishing that without the federal dollars we now receive would mean the budget for it needs to be completely overhauled. The friend who sent me the email is heavily involved in state budgetary processes and believes that holding off until we know what happens at the federal level is absolutely necessary.

That does *not* mean we're giving up on it, and it will still be kept front and center in the public eye to maintain public support. It does mean, however, that California cannot commit to budgeting for SB 562 until the income part of the equation is more clear - and that is about as clear as mud right now.

Not if, but *when* we get single-payer in California, the budget for it has to be as rock solid as possible to ensure the governor's approval and a successful launch.

that the next "can't do this right now" hurdle to be thrown in the gears will be the existing and future liabilities of the underfunded state pension plans.

There's enough to work on right now.

Otherwise, it could be a nightmare and spell permanent death of single payer in CA.

The linked article was woefully inadequate in information and the first few responses offered nothing but insults to Speaker Rendon based on those few tweets. It turns out that Speaker Rendon is not a Swamp Monster, hell bent on consuming Democratic souls in order to satisfy his satanic impulses and appetite for mayhem.

Amazing what happens when there is more information that explains they "why" of a situation. Thanks again.

Like some fellow progressives, I think they can let anti-"establishment" bias cloud their judgement on what articles to feature.

as far as editing goes too.

I sometimes use Raw Story as a source for OPs, but I often have to correct grammatical errors, or do other "editing tasks" that should have been done by them.

(That's sometimes true for Daily Kos articles as well)

The illegitimate president occupying the White House really complicates matters. I think that prompted a rushed bill, but rushing also is more likely to doom the initiative to failure.

Thanks for the update, I was pretty pissed off at first.

I wonder the specifics. Will wait and see.

(That should have been included in the Raw Story article).

While displaying this pricks picture on Monday night's show.

And good on the California Nurses Association ... of which my Moms was a long time member ...

Dems have been putting forth single payer plans since Truman in the 1940s. One would think they would have a good plan worked out by now. These opportunities don't come by very often.

The last time CA legislature passed single payer twice, Governor Arnold Gropenator vetoed it both times, then many of the key sponsors retired and we haven't seen it again since.

Comparing a single-payer insurance plan in California to Trumpcare would have given Democrats something to use in the next election cycle.

Single-payer continues to rise in favorability polls but unfortunately Democrats won't be viewed positively after this latest move.

such as the current proposed bill was completely unfinished and had holes in it you could have sailed an aircraft carrier through in its current form so until the holes are closed and its actually finished it wont be passed.

Wonder what the explanation for the "hold" would have been if the leadership in California was actually against single-payer?

to discuss a single payer bill he will be putting forth in the Senate soon. He will also be talking about the terrible (my word) republican health care bill being considered now. Got this from an very recent email from his office.

Do not want to see a failed program used as anti-single payer propaganda.

....as I've been informed above.

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/06/24/outrage-aimed-democrat-who-pulled-plug-californias-single-payer-bill

The current proposed 2017-2018 budget for the state of California is $183 Billion. This single payer bill alone would tack on 400 Billion annually. It's not going to move forward until there is a plan in place to fund it. It's got to be set up correctly because if it's a disaster then that will kill single payer everywhere else for generations.

It's pretty lazy for the assembly to pass a bill without and plans for funding or how to actually run the program. It's almost like an empty gesture to appease their base because they know it can't actually be implemented without a ton of money they don't currently have.

And that number is only that low IF they can get the federal government to grant waivers for the remaining 70% of the estimated obligation (another 225 Billion annually). So if the federal government allowed California to use current federal funding that's earmarked for other programs for the new program, then they only need to generate a little over 100 Billion more every year.

Looks like this is shelved until 2021 at a minimum because this current federal government isn;t going to cooperate with them. They should still pass it though to give Democrats a talking point against the current Administration.

Get all the tax dodging corps who've incorporated outside Ca (and the US too) to start paying their fair share.

I need it or I am going to die in severe pain within the next few years. Shit again!