Elections Project Report
Join the proponents of a CA Senate Bill to enact “Medicare for All” in CA supporting Medicare for All with grassroots organizing & educating
There have been efforts in California toward a universal single payer health plan for 30 years. CA Proposition 186 in 1994 lost after the summary in the Voter Information Booklet stated it would raise taxes but omitted that it would save more money in insurance premiums. It was the same year that First Lady Hillary Clinton tried to author a national universal single payer health plan, which resulted in CHIP, universal Medicaid for children. A study of Prop 186 found that increasing the size and duration of grassroots organizing and educational effort might improve the outcome next time.
The USA can’t compete with nations which provide health care instead of businesses. Our private health care system made the USA 45th in infant mortality, directly related to lack of access and discrimination in health care. The “public option” was removed from the Affordable Care Act when it became apparent that several Democratic senators were opposed and there was no chance of passing any health care legislation that included the “public option” without their support..
Failing a national universal health care program, the California Senate passed SB562 in 2017, The Healthy California Act, but it failed to pass out of committee
President Biden has empathy and is dedicated to serving the nation. Perhaps we can change his mind. Now is the time to make our voices louder than the insurance lobbyists and foster the USA into the modern world of Health as a Human Right. There are already Medicare for All Bills in both the House and Senate. Representative Huffman already co-sponsored HR1384. We need to encourage our Senators to co-sponsor S1129. Our new Senator Alex Padilla stated he supports M4A.
I expect to be canvassing in the Inland Mendocino area. With some or all of:
- California Nurses Association
- National Nurses United
- Our Revolution
Also, we need to send the Healthy California for All Commission our feedback at HealthyCAforAll@chhs.ca.govThe more people who hear about it, the better. Please email me to join us.