Health Care Bill Passed out of Committee

(Doug Racine posted this and, as part of GMD’s policy of placing candidate posts on the front page, here is the latest from Doug Racine.   – promoted by Caoimhin Laochdha)

Just sent out this press release – Doug Racine

MONTPELIER, VT — The Senate Health and Welfare Committee today unanimously passed S.88, which calls for a complete overhaul of Vermont’s health care system. The bill creates an oversight panel to hire expert advisors who will design an implementation plan for health care reform. The stated purpose of the redesign is “to ensure that individual programs and initiatives can be placed into a larger, more rational design for access to, the delivery of, and the financing of health care in Vermont.”  

“This bill lays out principles and goals which will ensure that our new health care system will guarantee all Vermonters quality, affordable health care every day of their lives,” committee chairman Doug Racine noted. “We’ve made a lot of progress by tweaking our current system and picking the low hanging fruit, but now we need systemic changes to make real progress.”

Under the proposal, the new health care system will be in place by July 1, 2012. The bill calls for three complete system designs – one of which must be a government-financed, single payer system – to come back to the governor and the legislature by January 1, 2011. The legislature will then choose one of the designs and begin the implementation phase. The designs called for in the bill must be complete packages, ready for execution as soon as the preferred option is chosen.

“This is the essential next step in health care reform that will lead to universal access to affordable health care for all Vermonters,” Racine explained. “What is needed is true systemic reform, and we cannot have real reform without a real plan to create a whole new system-and this bill creates that new system.”

The bill will now move to the Appropriations committee and then to the full senate. “I am optimistic that we can get this bill through the senate quickly,” Racine commented. “By listening to the various stakeholders and including many different interests in the discussion, we have crafted a bill that achieves systemic reform and addresses the concerns that have been raised.”

Racine, a candidate for governor, has made health care reform one of the priorities of his campaign. More information can be found at his website: www.dougracine.com.  

10 thoughts on “Health Care Bill Passed out of Committee

  1. I presume that cost savings will be one of the determining factors for the chosen plan, along with quality of care, percentage of people covered, and so on. It will be a great day when at least one state other than Hawai’i has decent health care for its citizens. I’m glad Vermont is working on joining our 50th state in ensuring the health of all.

  2. I heard about it today from a friend who was there when it happened.  Troubling parts of the bill were that Senator Mullin, R-Rutland, was able to amend it to have the oversight panel composed of five members rather than three.  Two of these members would be appointed by the governor.  One can easily see what can happen if the governor (whoever that is) wants to block any reform and channel it to private enterprise.  

    But from what I’ve heard it is a giant step over what we have now.  As one that has suffered under our health abuse system any change is a relief to the thousands of us held hostage by our health insurance system.  The best answer, of course, is for Vermont to leave the union and join Canada.

    Now, of course, it remains to be seen if the senate passes it and what the house will do with it.  

  3. That means I’ll have stuck the price of a used car into the Blue Cross Golden Parachute Fund by the time we get something better. With a $10k deductible, too. I guess I’d better invest in that “Learn Surgery At Home in Your Spare Time” book, just in case.

    Just a suggestion, but the Lewin Group study of a few years ago found that a Vermont single payer system would

    1) Cover everybody who is insured now

    2) Cover everybody who is uninsured now

    3) Save a hundred million dollars a year over the present system, despite the fact that it is covering everybody

    So why don’t we enact single payer now and if we somehow figure out something cheaper and better in a few years, switch to that?  

  4. Minor Heretic:  Good question.  Really good question.  There’s more than just ideology here, as ideology is fueled by money.  It is kind of like a nod to healthcare while turning your back on it.  I wonder if the motive is political — fear of offending possible campaign donors in a tight governor’s race.  I wasn’t there,just heard it from someone that was.  At least Doug got a majority, for whatever that was worth to the tens of thousands that are priced out of healthcare.  We’ll see what happens to its long journey through various committees.  

  5. Finally one of the Democratic candidates for Governor is stepping out on the health care question.  Thanks for your courage Doug.  Not the speed I would like, but a major step in the right direction.  Go for it!!

  6. It’s the sad and sorry state of the state when promoting a bill to study the possibilities of actually doing something is considered courageous.

  7. “It’s the sad and sorry state of the state when promoting a bill to study the possibilities of actually doing something is considered courageous.”

    LOL..you’re right.  It has taken great courage to get this far.  It is, though, a sad commentary on what this state has become, despite its ground-breaking and historic votes on gay marriage, vermont yankee, and so much else, only to wobble around on health care. this must look ridiculous to European eyes who wonder why it is we call ourselves free when we are held to such a system of bondage as our health care system.  But at least Doug has got it moving.  That, in itself, in America, in Vermont, is courageous in itself.  

    I wish we would secede and join Canada.  If only wishes and dreams could become facts.  Damn:)    

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