What is Single Payer Health Care?
What does “single payer” mean?
Basically, it is Medicare for All. A non-profit insurance system will provide comprehensive benefits for all California residents. It will pay all covered charges to providers, hospitals and pharmacies. There will be no co-pays or deductibles, or caps on annual benefits. The wasteful role of private health insurers as middlemen between patients and health care providers will be eliminated. The money saved by removing private health insurers will help fund health coverage for all California residents and will provide high quality and fully comprehensive health benefits. In California, the legislation to establish a single payer universal health care plan is Senate Bill 810, the California Universal Healthcare Act. State senator Mark Leno is the author of SB 810.
How will patients get health care services?
Everyone will choose his or her primary-care doctor and dentist. Primary-care doctors will make referrals to specialists (or patients can choose to pay for their own specialists without referrals). Doctors, not insurance companies, will decide what care is best for their patients.
How will seniors be affected?
Seniors will have the same benefits. However, they will no longer need to buy Medi-gap insurance. They will have full prescription drug, dental, vision, and hearing aid coverage. Retirees with former employer health benefits can continue under their existing contract, if they choose.
How will health care be paid for?
One half of all the money now spent on health care comes from federal and state funding for various public health programs. This money will all go into the single payer insurance fund. Employers and employees will contribute to the single payer insurance fund. For most employers and employees who currently pay private health insurance premiums, they will pay less money to the single payer insurance fund. The amount spent on administration will be capped at 5%. The single payer system will achieve substantial savings through negotiated pharmaceutical prices and bulk purchases.
Why does California need SB 810?
We can’t afford not to. We need to control rising health care costs. Our current system is riddled with inefficiencies. Too much is spent on administration, CEO salaries, overpriced prescription drugs. The uninsured are force to get treated in ER’s for care that could be inexpensively managed by GP’s, causing hospitals and trauma centers to close their doors, and overall medical costs to soar for everyone. Doctors and hospitals waste huge amounts of time (and time is money) processing paperwork for and dealing with denials of coverage by private health insurers.
What services are covered?
Under SB 810, the following services are provided: medical, dental, vision, prescription drug, mental health, immunizations, laboratory and diagnostic services, surgical and recuperative care, drug rehab, medical transport, adult day care, translation and interpretation, chiropractic, acupuncture, case management, dialysis, podiatry, preventative care, hospice, blood products, and up to 100 days of skilled nursing. SB 810 excludes coverage of cosmetic surgery and long-term care.
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