Kucinich proposes single-payer amendment

Denis Kucinich proposed an amendment in the House of Representatives committee on Education and Labor last Friday that would make states able to set up single-payer systems independent of the federal government. His amendment passed in committee, so it may end up in the conglomerate health care bill at the end of the line.

There is bipartisan support for this measure – from Democrats for the possibility of a government-run system in the states and from Republicans so as to respect states’ rights. Pennsylvania, California, Illinois, Ohio, Colorado, and Massachusetts are all states in which there are healthy campaigns for single-payer coverage, and in those states the creation of this kind of system is a possibility. As we’ve said before, a single-payer system would be a great option for women. A single-payer system provides lower costs and goes toward universal coverage – both things important to women and their families.