Rutland Herald

It should be clear now that whatever anemic health care bill President Obama wrings out of Congress will be a mockery of the thoroughgoing reform he promised during his campaign. The bill may include a few improvements to the current system, but there is no chance that it will achieve the goal of affordable comprehensive health care for all, irrespective of employment or income, that citizens of Canada, Britain, France, Germany and most other modern democracies enjoy as a basic right.

The real objective was lost the moment the administration announced that access to health care would continue to be controlled by private, profit-making insurance companies from which everyone would be compelled to purchase a policy.

What emerges from Congress seems sadly beyond the people’s control; but we in Vermont can and should establish our own health care system that will lead the way for other states and eventually the federal government. Two bills calling for a single-payer system for Vermont are already in the Legislature: S. 88 and H.100. Unfortunately, instead of giving the bills the serious public hearing and consideration they merit, the state Senate and House health committee chairs are still waiting for a miracle from Washington and blaming soaring medical costs on irresponsible patients and greedy providers.

It’s time for Vermonters to demand that Sen. Doug Racine and Rep. Steve Maier hold full, open hearings on S.88 and H.100, including testimony from the single-payer experts who will explain in detail how single-payer can work in Vermont and what universal coverage means. And it’s time we told the five Democratic gubernatorial contenders that strong, unequivocal support for a Vermont single-payer medical system is a requirement for our votes.

In the past year, the Vermont Legislature has twice accomplished what many considered the impossible: We became the first state to adopt marriage equality through legislative action, and the Senate has voted not to renew Vermont Yankee’s operating license beyond 2012. These are enormous, courageous steps toward justice for all and toward protection of public health and the environment. Our legislators are fully capable of another giant step in this session: toward affordable, universal health care for Vermont. We have to leave them no doubt that this is what their constituents want, deserve and expect.

MICHAEL and JUDY OLINICK
Middlebury