Written by Barbara Pearson
State-based SP bills
S766/ H1267 A bill to establish Medicare for All in Massachusetts
Standard M4A–establish Medical Trust, eliminate private insurance except for services not covered by the Trust; funded with a payroll tax (and tax on investment earnings over $30K); negotiate drug prices, provide hospital budgets. Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held hearing 10/26/21 with impactful testimony (can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/user/universalhealthcare/videos . Several members of the Joint Committee are prominent members of the M4A Legislative Caucus, but the bill has not made it out of committee.
Sponsors Sen. Jamie Eldridge, Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, Rep. Denise Garlick
82/200 co-sponsors
Obstacles to SP in the current context
Strong biotech council; hospital monopolies; Republican gov. who comes from Health Insurance industry and no Repub. supporters
Advantages for SP in current context
(Strong Dem majority). (but some of them can still use more convincing)
Both of our national senators and several of our House Reps are cosponsors of Jayapal’s 2021 bill or were cosponsors of Sanders 2019 bill.
Goals for SP movement in CA 2019-2020
Get the bills in the legislature out of committee.
Work for federal SBUHC bill.
Shorter-term initiatives
Working to advocate to all reps in state. 101 non-binding ballot questions–in districts of non-sponsoring legislators.
Pushing for municipal & town resolutions (for state bill), following Public Citizen https://www.citizen.org/topic/health-care/
Where can people find news about Single Payer in your state and/or join a group?*
https://www.masscare.org/ (info@masscare.org)
https://www.wmmedicareforall.org/
MA Organizations
State-based SP organizations
Masscare.org, Western Mass Medicare for All
National SP organizations with significant presence
League of Women Voters; NNU
One Payer States, League of Women Voters HCR4US (committee)
Healthcare-NOW is in MA