SACRAMENTO — The California Senate voted 22 to 14 to pass Senate Bill 810, the California Universal Health Care Act. Authored by State Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) SB 810 would enact a system of comprehensive, universal health care for every Californian.
State Senator Pat Wiggins, one of the bill”s co-authors, said the bill will head to the state assembly.
“If approved by both houses of the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, SB 810 would establish a ?single-payer” health care system to provide coverage to all 37 million Californians,” Wiggins said.
She said, “Essentially, this bill combines, under one administration, existing state-administered health care programs with the privately-funded insurance industry and the state”s uninsured. A newly-created California Healthcare System would, on a single-payer basis, negotiate with providers or set fees for health care services and will pay claims for those services.”
To track the progress of SB 810, visit www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html.
