How Single-Payer Advocates Are Playing The Long Game In California
For now, the push for single-payer may well be less a realistic policy blueprint than an organizing tool.
San Francisco Chronicle:
Single-Payer Health Care In California Dormant, But Not For Long
A bill that would replace the existing health care system with a new one run by a single payer — specifically, the state government — and paid for with taxpayer money remains parked in the Assembly, with no sign of moving ahead. ... But even if single-payer is a lost cause in the short term, advocates are playing a long game. (Rosenhall, 2/16)
In other news from Sacramento —
KPCC:
Bill Aims To Make It Easier For Community Clinics To Help Disaster Victims
Currently, community health centers can’t bill Medi-Cal for services they provide outside of their brick-and-mortar clinics. AB 2576 would change that anytime the governor declares an emergency. (Faust, 2/19)
San Jose Mercury News:
A Bay Area Lawmaker's Crusade To Require Public Charter Schools To Provide Free Lunch
While Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation in 1975 during his first term in office, requiring public schools to serve free and reduced-cost meals each school day, charter schools are not included in the law. ... Statewide, charter schools enroll over 630,000 students, and close to 60 percent of them would qualify for free and reduced-price meals, based on family income, according to the California Charter School Association, which represents the schools. (Kritz, 2/18)