This week Senator Doug Racine, Chair of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, announced a public hearing to begin the process of building a new health care system. The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, January 12, 2010. It will be a joint hearing with the House Health Care Committee and will look at S.88 and H.100 – the bills that advocate a single payer system – and other legislation that may be introduced during the session.
In announcing the public hearing Senator Racine said:
“I believe every Vermonter should have access to quality, affordable health care every day of his or her life. Call it single-payer. Call it Medicare for All. Call it whatever you want – what we need is a health care system that is focused on patient health, not tied to employment, and ensures that no Vermonter has to choose between health care and other basic necessities.”
While it is great to hear any elected official share their understanding that we must create a health care system that covers everyone, this does not mean our work is done. As we are seeing in the national debate, there are very powerful groups lobbying for changes that only address small issues and only add to the patchwork of reforms. If we don’t fundamentally change the system from being one about profits to one about care we cannot move forward.
Senator Racine also said: “I am committed to looking at the possibility of a single payer health care system in Vermont.” This is hardly a strong endorsement for Single Payer and means we need to ensure we have a large presence at the public hearing on January 12. So please save the date and plan a trip to Montpelier. In the meantime we must continue to educate our elected officials, neighbors and friends about the benefits of a Single Payer system.
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