Vermont committee approves universal health care

[kpete]

Source: Business Week

Vermont committee approves universal health care

MONTPELIER, Vt.

Vermont lawmakers have taken the first big step toward a single-payer health care system, with a House panel voting to set up a five-member board to design a benefit package and figure out the nuts and bolts of the system's operation.

The House Health Care Committee's 8-3 vote in favor of the bill late Thursday night set up expected debate in the full House on Wednesday on a bill that would set Vermont on a path toward Gov. Peter Shumlin's goal of providing health insurance to every Vermonter without having to be a benefit tied to employment.

"We're happy. The administration is happy," said Steve Kimbell, commissioner of a state agency involved in health care who has been lobbying lawmakers on the issue. But he added that administration officials would study the bill to see what improvements might be needed.

The committee's vote was along party lines, with Democrats, a Progressive Party member and a liberal-leaning independent supporting the measure and the three Republicans opposed.

Read more: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9M1STEG0.htm

[lbrtbell]

1. I wish I could move to Vermont

And I wish we had President Howard Dean! :patriot:

[glinda]

2. I do plan to. As soon as the folks are gone. Husband has been informed.

[Samantha]

8. I have thought about it frequenty but I am not so sure about the cold

Do you know anything about the weather?

Sam

[ThirdEye]

17. The weather is hardcore during the winter

If you get into a winter sport, you'll actually look forward to it. If you don't, you'll get sick of it around February every year. Still, it's worth it. Winter makes you appreciate spring and summer. Plus, unlike some other states, we get snow with our cold weather.

The upside to the winter, versus slightly more southern states, is that we're used to it and respect it. Plows don't let things get too bad. You're much less likely to have idiots on the road, though they still exist.

[flamingdem]

40. Yes, you go nuts in February, I remember -25 and running to survive outside

All skin covered. Plus digging my car out and scraping ice off.

I'd like to move back anyway but just for the nice months;)

[No Elephants]

35. Two words: climate change.

[flamingdem]

39. Lovely in the summer for 2 months, then cold starts for fall, winter, spring! nt

[glinda]

59. Perfect!

[DrZeeLit]

47. I moved from CA to VT in June 2001. And... I LOVE VT!!!

Everybody I knew worried about me and the cold. I say now what I said then, "It's not like I'm outside standing on the corner waving at cars. I'm INSIDE!!! Where it's WARM."
Seriously, I am not a winter sports person. Tried skiing, but I was too old (at 43) to start and since I just cried all the time, I thought it wasn't worth my time.
However, I've learned... winter is necessary.
It's a time to regroup, do some thinking, writing, sewing, reading.... that 24/7 go go go life in CA -- wow... that'll kill you faster than winter here.

Life in Vermont is sloooooooow, quiet, peaceful. The first snowfall is magical. The first leaves -- right now --- are the greenest green you will ever see -- amazing!! Summer is mild and glorious (no smog, rarely humid, nice thunderstorms).
And autumn! OMG... autumn is glorious... just glorious. Golden, orange, red, hot pink -- the leaves changing ... wow! And apples, pumpkins, baking smells...mmmmmm. Crisp days....

We have fishing and berries to pick and apples to pick and ... NO TRAFFIC! (no noise or light pollution....)
And for the most part, my experience has been... everyone is civil -- even when they don't agree.
Plus... you get representation by: Bernie (that's what everyone calls him) and Pat Leahy.

I am a 3rd generation , native CA girl....and my family is all back in southern CA.... but I don't want to move. I have a wonderful job, a beautiful home (with land and trees!) I really truly love it here.

[flamingdem]

64. kick for Vt. nt

[flamingdem]

65. kick for Vt. nt

[Hissyspit]

13. It's lovely. nt

[glinda]

60. Is that Montpelier?

[Hissyspit]

63. Yes. And a place called Sleepy Hollow Farms near Woodstock, VT.

[Wednesdays]

52. Will said husband go along with you?

I'd drop everything in a heartbeat and run like hell to Vermont, but my wife would veto that idea.

[glinda]

61. Are you asking me out? lol! I think it would be hard for him but he might go along with it because

he trusts me. But if he doesn't I have seriously considered going it alone I hate to say.
I talk to him a lot about it. He hasn't said no yet. He does hesitate though and says he likes the Mississippi River. Sure...we have ties to this river and this State but I feel a calling to VT. Seriously.

[RKP5637]

3. Same here, I miss New England. n/t

[City Lights]

19. It's on my list of possibilities. nt

[supernova]

26. Seriously considering it

As someone with a chronic PC, it would be the only way I could reliably obtain healthcare.

[Beavker]

56. Agreed, it's that important

People kind of chuckle, poohpooh or dismiss when I say I'd like to move somewhere where health insurance is provided. I think it's that important...not sure what could be more important actually. It's a bunch of short sighted, 'currently' healthy people I suppose that can't see that. Yet they complain about the little costs like their small premium at work, the small co-pay, the paperwork, etc...but they can't see fit to support whole-heartedly a single payer system that most of the modern world employs.

[Arctic Dave]

4. K&R

[rpannier]

5. I'm Shocked! Totally Shocked

That all three Republicans opposed the measure.

Okay. So I'm not shocked.

The republikkans argued that it moved too fast and didn't explain how it would be funded.
Let's be honest here. If it was moving at the speed of tectonics they'd say it was moving too fast.
If the funding was taken care of, they'd complain that it caused dandruff and increased the incidents of sunspots.

[Beartracks]

9. The Conservative POV

If it's moving, it's moving too fast.

:eyes:

------------------------

[Enthusiast]

21. Unless it is some measure

that destroys collective bargaining or takes hard won rights or benefits away from working class people. Then the most radical legislation seems to fly through Republican legislatures.

[indy legend]

54. I keep trying to see things from the conservative point of view, but...

...I just can't seem to get my head that far up my ass.

[melm00se]

14. a broken clock is right twice a day

(as a former GOPer)

I can see their point. something like this should have it's funding laid out.

[Enthusiast]

23. We have all of Western Europe

as examples of successful single payer systems. All these systems are different but superior to the U.S. system. One thing we know for certain -these systems cost far less than the for-profit American model. The system we use now is unsustainable and unworkable right this moment and it gets worse by the day.

What we need at a national level is immediate price controls on procedures and pharmaceuticals as just a start. Ultimately the profit motive has got to be removed from anything medical, within reason, of course.

[melm00se]

27. successful

yes

but if you:
build a bridge, you arrange for the financing
create a program, you arrange for the financing.

if you are going to enact anything with cash flow out, you need to balance it with cash flow in (a state government can't print money to cover the cost nor is borrowing a scalable solution).

[murphyj87]

38. Canadians did it in 1966. Are Americans not smart enough to?

[Enthusiast]

42. Those against single payer

don't fool us. They are against change because they want to preserve the profits of the leeches -the insurance industry, the for-profit health care delivery system and the pharmaceutical industry. These players are contributing to the leading cause of American family bankruptcy. One way or another a single payer system will be adopted in the U.S. Instead of being good corporate citizens these corporations are guided solely by greed.

[Enthusiast]

43. We are already paying more for services

than a good single payer system would cost. That is just a fact. An inconvenient fact for champions of the status quo.

[SoapBox]

6. GOBPer, RushThug and T.HATERbagger heads are EXPLODING!

Can you just imagine!

Screeching...screaming...whining...and all from out of state.

FuxNoose Channel will be out of their minds, over this.

[iandhr]

7. GO CATS GO

[defendandprotect]

10. We need to do single payer state by state --!!

Thanks, Obama!!

[defendandprotect]

11. Forgot to say . . . CHEERS - CONGRATULATIONS TO VERMONTERS!!

[Corruption Winz]

12. Wow. Good news. I hope this works as I expect it to.

In three or fours years when we really begin to see this ideas benefits -- no pun intended -- I can't wait to hear the excuses by those opposing these concepts.

[vaberella]

15. Great news. I want to move to Vermont. n/t

[nxylas]

18. Hopefully, you won't have to

Other states will follow, I'm sure. Even South Carolina will probably have universal healthcare by about 2160.

[vaberella]

28. I'll be dead before SC has it. But I'm from New York---too many loony Dems and hater Repubs.n/t

[Auntie Bush]

34. Thank God Ilive here! And I can say that after a long, cold, snowy winter.

Summer,Spring and Fall are the best, but winter is beautiful. You'll love it here. And we'll have more Democrats.

[Harriety]

16. I very happy for them. They are leading the way.

[dotymed]

20. +1000000

I hope that this is successful. It would be a real impetus for America. I hope that the population does not explode which would make it harder on this system because (as I understand it) you have to rely on VT insurers only. Not a lot of competition to choose from, IMO.

This really makes me want to move there, but I do not want to (in anyway) hurt this most important experiment. I pray this works.

[Yon_Yonson]

22. Lived out East for many years and VT is a lovely state

Figured single payer would happen in one of the ORIGINAL 13 STATES ... sort of like the shot heard about the world! Just mean the rest of us have to work harder!

[Vinca]

24. We live right across the river from Vermont and will be keeping

a close eye on the proceedings. If there will be coverage for expenses not covered by Medicare (we're getting close), I think we'll seriously consider selling our house in New Hampshire and buying there. We lived in Vermont for most of our lives - I was born there - and only moved to New Hampshire because a good real estate deal presented itself. We love our house, but New Hampshire is turning into teabagger land. I was shocked to go down one of the nearby dirt roads and see a tea party sign.

[No Elephants]

36. Meh. Teabaggers have held a few rallies in Massachusetts. Koch money buys a lot.

[RoccoR5955]

25. I might just retire to Vermont.

It has always been one of my favorite places on Earth!

[Myrina]

29. Um, so what happens when they get a GOP gov and legislature?

... is this going to turn into a see-saw issue? One year you have it, next year you don't, depending on who's in office?

:shrug:

[cali]

44. rather unlikely scenario as far as the legislature goes

always possible that we'll end up with a repug gov, but not likely for several years. Vermonters tend to vote in governors every two years until they retire- be they dems or repugs and Shumlin who just got elected is very popular. In addition, Vermonters support this. We are a liberal state. Bernie and Pat and Peter- all progressives are very popular.

[earcandle]

30. Where is California?

[flamingdem]

41. Still struggling with recalcitrant repukes plus broke nt

[florida08]

31. Congratulations Vermont...well done

I know this is scaring the chit out of red state governments..

[raouldukelives]

32. K&R

[AlbertCat]

33. Vermont committee approves universal health care

Well, of course it does! They aren't stupid!

[No Elephants]

37. Stupid Vermont let the best alternative become the enemy of the "good."

Or, in the case of Romneycare, the lousy.

[Uncle Joe]

45. Kicked and recommended for the great state of Vermont.

Thanks for the thread, kpete.:thumbsup:

[fascisthunter]

46. awesome!!!! (nt)

[FreedomVoice]

48. Population shift

LOVE IT!!!! Definitely considering a move there!!!!

You don't think they will put in place something to stop a mass influx of people that may stop us from moving to VT do you?

Maybe there are scared the system will become overloaded with those that are uninsured in other states. I hope not, because i definitely think its time to vote with our feet!!!

[Botany]

49. They will come to be a leaf peepers and they will stay ...

.... for the health care.

[abelenkpe]

50. A W E S O M E...

Congratulations Vermont!

Hope CA follows soon. :)

[lovuian]

51. woohoo Vermont

:woohoo:
Socialized Medicine will happen...it is a matter of time

the insurance companies are just out of control

[valerief]

53. Wow, that's wonderful news! nt

[Dr Fate]

55. Sounds far left. I'm frightened that proven liars will call us socialists.

I'm very timid and nervous about this, guys- should we really let the Liberals drag down or centrist credentials like this?

*drippy saracsm thingy goes here*

[FarLeftFist]

57. So jealous.

[unkachuck]

58. K&R for the great state of Vermont!....n/t

[steve2470]

62. k&r nt