Got a note from ret Sen. Sheila Kuehl (SB840 author - 840 is now 810 and is now being shepherded by Sen. Mark Leno). She notes that the fed bills are probably going to just get weaker as they continue to go through the federal bill creation machine. At some point, as she noted, the thing may end up not really being much affordable by anybody and thus WE GOTTA KEEP PUSHING on STATES BEING ABLE TO DO THEIR OWN THING!!!! I.e., Calif. SB810 people, get on your district representatives and pester them to pester congress not to lock us out. If you're in another state, be AWARE and pester your reps re this.
Suggestion - how about we push for a TRIGGER - if x percentage of people cannot receive affordable coverage under the proposed federal plan, states will then be free to do their own thing... what about it folks? Got a suggestion for percentage?
I called Waxman's office and talked to a woman that told me as she understood it there is no state waiver because people will still need/want the option of buying private insurance over a public option. My response - if the people of CA want to get rid of insurers and pass SB810 they should be allowed to. Seems very clear to me that the insurance lobbyists are very afraid of a single payer plan and are doing everything they can to prevent it from happening.
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