Posted on 06/01/2011 11:42:11 AM PDT by Libloather
Vermont's Single Payer System: Coming to a State Near You?
Nona Willis Aronowitz - East Coast associate editor
June 1, 2011 • 5:00 am PDT
Liberals finally have the health care system they’ve been hoping for—in one state at least. Last week, Vermont’s governor Peter Shumlin signed a law that puts the state on the path to providing single-payer health care. The plan will first create a statewide exchange where residents can pick from private or state insurance plans, but eventually there will just be one state-operated system called Green Mountain Care.
Before you pack your bags, though, be advised: the federal health care reform law won’t allow Vermont's plans to go forward until 2017. The state is asking for a waiver to speed up the process, but that still has them waiting until 2014. And there’s at least one critical component missing from the 141-page plan—namely, a way to fund it.
The plan already has progressives buzzing, and wondering if their state (or the country) could be next. Still, we’re talking Vermont here—the home of gay marriage and Ben & Jerry’s, Howard Dean and Bernie Sanders. It’s not your run-of-the-mill state of the union. There are a few things to consider:
**SNIP**
3) Vermonters are cool with a little socialism. After all is said and done, what really matters are the people electing their state representatives. They elected Bernie, after all, the only Socialist currently sitting in the Senate. A Gallup poll found Vermont to be the most liberal state in the country. This might bode well for Oregon, New York, or Rhode Island. Places like Mississippi, Idaho, Texas? Not so much.
(Excerpt) Read more at good.is ...
Better get used to eating tree bark and cow chips.
Let’s see how fast the old and infirmed run from Vermont once they realize they are going to be told they won’t be treated.
As long as none of the people have to pay for it....
I can’t believe the author didn’t find the article even a little ironic. It’s a perfect description of the problem with socialism.
Bring it on. Their state will be broke within 2 yrs. and everyone will have to drive to New Hampshire to find a doctor. It will serve as a well-needed lesson to the rest of the country.
States should be able to enact any kind of health care system they want without asking permission of the Federal government.
This is what should have happened from the start.
If each State devised their own system, then we’d have 50 laboratories in which we would discover what works well and what doesn’t.
States with successful systems would be emulated by other States.
One-size-fits-all is a guarateed fail.
I have no idea.
Whether or not it fails, States should be able to set up their own system.
Looks like New England will rush to become Europe first. Good. Let them join California on the fast track to bankruptcy.
Good thing I drill holes in all my trees around mid-March; at least I’ll get to have syrup on my cow patties!
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