California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas has questioned the latest proposal to create a state-run single-payer health care system, saying he likes the idea but faces a budget shortfall of at least $38 billion. He said he's not confident the state can afford it.
“The single-payer concept and expanding access and affordability is a good idea,” Rivas, a Democrat from Hollister, told reporters at the state Capitol on Tuesday. “I say this with great respect to our stakeholders and advocates. We need to see how this funding is raised. It's a good idea, but especially if we This is a very difficult sell in the budget environment we are currently experiencing.”
Assembly Bill 2200, The plan, called “Guaranteed Care for All” (or “CalCare”), would establish a single-payer, universal health care system for all California residents. The bill by Rep. Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) builds on a single-payer bill he previously introduced. did not receive enough votes We plan to move forward in January 2022.
A legislative analysis of the bill estimates it would cost between $314 billion and $391 billion in state and federal funds, an amount higher than Newsom's proposed $291.5 billion overall state budget for fiscal year 2024-25. It's also big.
Congressional analysts have not yet determined the price of Kalra's new bill.he says so it's different Because it establishes an advisory board, explicitly names gender-affirming care and expanded reproductive health care as benefits, requires investments in the recruitment and retention of health care workers to meet demand for services, and This is because it ensures that physicians are represented in medical institutions. Calcare board.
California lawmakers have attempted about a dozen times over the years to overhaul the state's health care system, facing pressure from progressive activists and politically-aligned nurses unions pushing for single-payer health care.
These proposals typically divisive and wither among Democrats due to cost concerns, opposition from private insurers, and the complex bureaucracy that underpins the nation's health care delivery.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill last year. that would set the stage Achieve universal coverage by helping California obtain a waiver from the federal government to use Medicaid and Medicare funds for a potential single-payer system. The bill, by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), was intended as an incremental step to address some of the logistical hurdles that had hindered previous proposals for sweeping reforms. .
The California Nursing Association, an ardent supporter of single-payer health care, opposes the Wiener bill and questions whether the bill will help create a single-payer system or simply encourage another iteration of universal health care. He expressed skepticism as to whether this would be the case. They argue that these are different systems. A single-payer system means that the general public receives health insurance through a central payer, usually the government. Universal coverage generally refers to ensuring that all residents receive coverage through public and private systems.
In a conversation with reporters, Rivas reiterated his concerns about the budget deficit.
Rivas said Newsom's $38 billion deficit projection is lower than the nearly $68 billion deficit projected in December by the Legislative Analyst's Office, the state's nonpartisan agency that advises the Legislature. “I'm optimistic,” he said. The company updated its forecast on Tuesday, pegging the deficit at about $73 billion. This number is an estimate based in part on future revenue projections.
