Legislation Paves Way For States to Lead the Way on Single-Payer Health Care
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Sen.Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) reintroduced the State-Based Universal Health Care Act, which would give states the power and federal funds to develop and implement their own universal health care programs.
Eagan Kemp, Public Citizen health care policy advocate, released the following statement.
“This important bill would empower states like Massachusetts, California and New York to lead the way in creating state-based single-payer health care systems that would guarantee their residents can get the care they need when they need it. By ensuring states have the authority to create more efficient and equitable health care systems, such states can demonstrate just how much better single-payer health care is than our fragmented for-profit health care system.
“Our failing health care system, where millions are burdened by debt and Americans struggle to afford the care they need, has increased the demand for state and federal action. This bill would give states the opportunity to break down barriers to care and eliminate the ability of greedy corporations to profit off illness. It couldn’t be coming at a more important time as Trump and his cronies attack access to insurance for 17 million through reconciliation in order to give tax cuts for billionaires.”