Vermont House Passes Single-Payer Healthcare Bill

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Intro: "The Vermont House of Representatives passed a bill calling for a single-payer system Thursday afternoon, putting the state on a path to become the first in the nation to adopt universal access to health care. Lawmakers voted 92 to 49 after nearly two days of debate, including discussion on the floor until the early morning hours on Thursday."

A rally in Vermont for single-payer healthcare, 05/05/10. (photo: Jobs With Justice/flickr)

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+32 # Regina 2011-03-25 20:34

Sanity looms! I hope it prevails. Then maybe a few timid followers might follow suit.

+36 # jon 2011-03-25 20:57

Seizing control from the uber-wealthy insurance company thieves is our first step towards fiscal solvency.

The people have NO control over insurance companies, we have the ballot - at least - to hold over the heads of our elected representatives .

Congratulations , Vermont !!!!

+15 # Progressive_Patriot 2011-03-25 21:52

Now we just need to gain control from the rest of the corporate greedmongers.

+21 # Bonnie Breckenridge 2011-03-25 21:33

Bravo for Vermont! As time goes by I become ever more convinced that we cannot look to the federal government to take steps to solve these pressing national issues, we must look locally to municipal and state legislatures. My hopes go with Vermont that they will be able to create a system that can become a model for other states.

Congratulations , Vermont !!!!

+16 # enrique 2011-03-25 22:32

Congratulations Vermont!! Is Vermont in America?

-9 # rock 2011-03-26 09:34

+15 # PGreen 2011-03-26 05:21

I'm glad that someone is finally doing it, because a successful single-payer health plan will serve as a positive example for the rest of the US; maybe more states will adopt it. However, Vermont will have to look out for attempts to sabotage their healthcare made by greedy plutocrats, fearful insurance companies, and ideologues.

+13 # liberalman 2011-03-26 05:45

I predict with certainty that the right wing smear, innuendo, outright lie machine aka Fox news & the like (Limbaugh & friends) will be erasing images of President Obama from their Nazi & Socialist posters & replacing them with cut-outs of Vermont. Freedom from the tyrannical & beastly Healthcare industry by ordinary Americans will not go unchallenged by the mouth pieces of these mega-corporations. Their scripts are already being written by the lobbyists, the Chamber of Commerce, and the likes of the Koch Bros.
Stand up & fight for your rights America or risk the corporate alternative already endorsed by the Supreme Court.

+11 # enrique 2011-03-26 09:43

I am so happy over Vermont’s decision; I am close to tears. So much pain and suffering will be alleviated and prevented through this courageous and intelligent step! Let’s hope this triggers a big wave of imitators.

-12 # Bob Williams 2011-03-26 14:51

The case of healthcare in England should serve as caution for anyone contemplating healthcare funded by a bankrupt government - costs are contained by not diagnosing ailments that would require treatment and/or long queues of patients waiting months for operations.

The answer to the corporatisation of healthcare in America is not more statism (that's right, corporations are creations of the state and do not exist in free markets. Where you see corporations, you have statism rather than free markets).

The answer is to end the corporatisation of healthcare, which is a form of statism known as corporatism, by opening up a free market in healthcare. Until we have a free market in healthcare, we will endure the incompetence of governments and their creations - corporations.

+6 # Maria B. Tunner, MD 2011-03-26 20:36

Congratulations Vermont! Finally a rational and courageous plan to solve the shameful health care situation that was not remedied by Obama's reform. Canada's well functioning Medicare for all was also initiated by the example of the small province of Saskatchewan. The for profit insurance lobby will put up a vicious fight with smear campaigns and scare tactics to maintain the status quo, I hope that little Vermont will succeed in its fight against the greedy Goliat.

+5 # Maria B. Tunner, MD 2011-03-26 20:56

Congratulations Vermont! Finally a rational and radical solution to the festering, shameful health care situation that was not solved by Obama's watered down reform. In Canada the well functioning Medicare for all was also initiated by the example of the small province of Saskatchewan. The for profit greedy insurance industry will put up a vicious and desperate fight against the Single-Payer plan. I wish Vermont with my whole heart to win this battle.

+2 # Foxtrottango 2011-03-27 09:28

Odd, isn't it? One nation in 50 steps into the 21st century while a few more want to go back to the 19th century. At far as Wisconsin goes, it wants to go back even further, into the Dark Ages!

Time to burn "witches" again, folks! And in the 21st century, of all things!

Must be the "Christian" in these sorry lot!

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