SAN JOSE, CA — On January 31, the California State Assembly, where Democrats hold a supermajority, was due to vote on AB 1400, CalCare. But when it became apparent that the bill would not pass, the bill was pulled by the author.
AB 1400 was a single payer bill to guarantee equal universal health care for all California residents regardless of income, employment, or immigration status, by eliminating profiteering in the health care industry. It provided comprehensive health care, including dental, vision, mental health, medications, and long-term care. It eliminated point-of-service costs like deductibles and co-pays, made health care not dependent on employment, and meant genuine choice of any doctor, hospital, clinic, or other provider.
Health Care Movement
AB 1400 could have been an example to other states and the nation of how Medicare for All could be done, the same way it evolved in Canada. Polls showed that a large majority of California residents support such a system.
The health care movement has grown immensely in recent years, propelled by Bernie Sanders’ advocacy of Medicare for All and the exposure by the COVID pandemic of the inequity and overall failings of the current patchwork healthcare system. Dozens of statewide and local organizations carried out a campaign of presentations, tabling, health justice events, social media, voter contact, car rallies, and demonstrations. Resolutions of support were organized at the city councils of Los Angeles, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, and many others.
Corporate – Motivated Opposition
The California Chamber of Commerce led a coalition of 122 business interest groups in opposition to AB1400, including the largest health insurance companies in the state. They provided talking points to assembly members to whom they make campaign contributions. CalCare was called “socialist”; corporate Democrats said it was too “disruptive” to the current system and implied that the average taxpayer would be losing money by footing the bill.
Supporters of AB 1400 pointed out that there would be no premiums, co-pays and deductibles, the current “private tax” from insurance companies, and that the vast majority of people would be paying less for more care.
Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom, who has close ties to insurance companies, endorsed single-payer in 2018, but has walked that back ever since. During the recent campaign for CalCare, he made an incremental (although positive) increase in access for the undocumented to the current complex, unequal, wasteful, expensive and incomplete system, which passes health care funds through private insurance middlemen. He then declared that there was now “universal” coverage, implying that CalCare was no longer needed.
Moving Forward
The call to pull the bill at the last minute was controversial. Opponents of that decision said that it was an excuse to shield colleagues from criticism for a no vote. The author said it would have a better chance when he reintroduced it next year.
All health care advocates are committed to fighting statewide and nationally for truly universal, equitable, comprehensive, single payer health care that saves money. We must continue our struggle with the profit driven corporations for our basic human right to health care until we win.
