California

State-based Single Payer Organizations

California Nurses Association. https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/california-nurses-association

Health Care for All California https://healthcareforall.org/

Physicians for a National Health Program https://pnhp.org/chapter/california/

Organizations with strong Single Payer campaigns

Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party. (Amar Shergill) https://www.progressivecaucuscdp.org

California Alliance for Retired Americans. https://californiaalliance.org/. (Jodi Reid)

Santa Clara County Single Payer Health Care Coalition. https://www.facebook.com/SCCSinglePayer/

California Single Payer Medicare for All legislation

Calcare AB 1690  Text of the bill from Leginfo.legislature.ca.gov

The new single payer bill was introduced by Assembly Member Ash Kalra on Feb 17, 2023.  It is a placeholder for now and will be fleshed out as a full bill in time for introduction in the 2024 process as a carry-over bill in the 2nd year. AB 1690 includes all necessary elements including the waiver process as outlined by the federal Health and Human Services regulations.  This strategy represents an effort for a more collaborative process, that includes more stakeholders, such as labor, Poor People’s Campaign, faith-based groups, provider associations, etc.

Single Payer/Medicare 4 All action in 2023-24

  • More focused union outreach, especially to the central labor councils across the state.

  • More education inside the legislature that the California Nurses Association’s Government Relations Department will lead.

  • Growing the size and strength of our coalition. If you’re a representative of an organization that supports CalCare, please fill out this form.

  • And finally, more public education to address the common attacks on CalCare, including a short video series and speakers’ training.

Obstacles to Single Payer in the current context

  1. Many in California do not yet understand the benefits of SPM4A.

  2. Those against SPM4A have tremendous resources.

  3. There are multiple competing views within the M4A community.

Advantages for Single Payer/M4A in the current context

  1. California Congressman Ro Khanna’s bill HR 3775 State Based Universal Health Care Act of 2021 simplifies the waiver process and allows each state to develop its own program as long as the program meets federal standards. The 2023 version of the bill is being readied for re-introduction around the time the new Single Payer bill is introduced this Spring.

  2. There’s a sense of urgency from being a leading state for state-based efforts around the country.

  3. We have a whole year to work on the details of the bill. Lots of canvassing, tabling and advantage

Where can people find news about Single Payer in your state and/or join a group?

Contacts

California Progressive Alliance Single Payer Action Team, Nick Cortez:  info@californiaprogressivealliance.org

Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party. (Amar Shergill) prog.caucus.cdp@gmail.com

Physicians for a National Heath Program, Kathleen Healey: khealey.ent@gmail.com

California Nurses Association. info@medicare4all.org