The idea that costs will decrease if the wicked capitalist profiteer is cut out of the system somehow seems unable to die no matter how much evidence contradicts it. Tell me, if this is the case why are our public schools so awful even though their spending per student far exceeds private schools?

I do not want single payer. It is an infringement against my freedom. Moreover, costs will inevitably go up and quality of care will inevitably go down. You are aware that the Canadian Prime Minister recently came to the US for medical treatment, right?

You CA people are messed up! No wonder you're state is bankrupt!
#1 - You can't afford it, and
#2 - The only thing a one payer system does, is reduce the quality AND availibilty!

Thank God I don't live in CA. Your state is a laughing stock around the country. The mistake "Arnie" has made is being Liberal!

Thanks California. We here in Oregon just voted to force the Ruling Class to pay part of their way. Maybe, some day, our legislators will allow us the care that stray animals get in a shelter. Imagine how much the Aristocracy will whine about that!

Health care will be paid for by taxpayers -- whether or not the government passes a health care system. The only difference will be whether the money goes to the health insurance industry or a government-run program that does not need to pay for advertising or pay the humongous salaries and bonuses to top executives.

The 'R' branded lobbyist got elected in Boston because the people know that the Medical bill was: "of, for, and by the Insurance companies". Worse than Nothing.
A sellout.
Like.
Every.
Fucking.
Bill.
In.
The.
Last.
Fifty.
Years.
You.
Stupid.
Lying. F
ucks.

Well, well, well: the chickens have come home to roost. Are you glad you have a Republican governor who will veto this now?

Tax cuts for the rich? "Rich" is defined in net worth, not income. Yet not a single penny of net worth/old family money ever gets taxed, and it won't be as long as the wealthy democrats can count on the useful idiots in this forum to believe that the rich are paying when they aren't paying a dime - it's working people instead who "earn" and are leaving CA in droves. It's no surprise by the collective mentality here that California is the most bankrupt, and has an unemployment rate far higher than the national average.

Not a single thought about cost containment
Not a single thought about frivolous lawsuits
Not a single thought about fraud
Not a single thought about insurance company competitiveness

Rather, just blind faith that the government (who can't even handle passport distribution) will solve everything.

Just get, get, get, for free, free, free, as long as you vote, vote, vote for me, me, me

Bravo!!!!!

"The California Senate approved creating a government-run health care system for the nation's most populous state on Thursday, ignoring a veto threat from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger." Single Payer would not be a health CARE system. It would be a health INSURANCE system.

Get it right.

health care and legal pot..Cali leads the way...once again...:)

Californians could save the billions we pay the insurance companies, and use it to fund single payer. How I would love to see that. Of course Arnie does not want it. No Republican does.

In most of the 29 industrial country's that have government run plans, they not only like it, but it is against the law for for-profit health care. Against the law!! But not here. I live in California. I have two grown children with jobs, and children of their own. Two weeks ago, my daughter came down with what she thought was a cold. She has no health insurance. She cannot afford any. In her job, the only one with health insurance is the owner of the company. She tried to go it alone. Finally she had to see a doctor. She was told she had pneumonia and asthma. She could not afford the rest of the tests, and only one of the RX's. She will be off the job till next Tues. My son who lives in Oregon has no health insurance. He is one of the working people that have none.

I bet anything the governor of California never has to forget seeing a doctor when he is sick. His children don't. The Republicans act as if anyone without health insurance is not working or too stupid to buy it. And the legislators that have it, because we give it to them as part of the job package. All government employees, state and federal have it because we give them what we ourselves cannot afford. And they have the OPTION of taking it or not.

These legislators that call it socialism for us. And a job perk for them. I guess it depends on who is sick and who is not. And if by chance you lose your job, then you are out of luck. Has anyone tried to afford Cobra for more then a couple of months? There was a study done last year. It states that at the rate the insurance company's raise the rates by 2015 the average family of four in this state will be paying 40,000 dollars a year for health insurance.

There was a lady on the radio this morning that was paying 250.00 a month for the insurance. She had never used it at all and yet this week the insurance company said her new rate would be 550.00 a month. She never used the policy for visits or drugs and yet her rate went up that much. After all these years of increase, when she called to complain they told her the cost of drugs had gone up. So not only do women pay more for the same coverage as men which jacks up the rates more.

The cost of drugs can go up and always will. And if your on Medicare and you have to pay for any of your own drugs and a co-pay, you owe that to Bush for Medicare Part D. His gift to the Pharm. And along with the gift is Medicare is not allowed to bid for cheaper drugs, as part of the gift. Anyone that says we do not need single payer or the public option are either crazy, misinformed or Republican, or rich.

YES YES YES YES!

Bring it ON! I will happily contribute tax money to support this!

I am so tired of seeing the AP do this type of stuff. Look at how they equate "a single-payer health care system" with "a government-run health care system" in the article.
EXCERPTS: "The California Senate approved creating a government-run health care system for the nation's most populous state on Thursday, ignoring a veto threat from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger...Democrats are the majority in both houses of the California Legislature. The 40-member state Senate passed the single-payer plan on a 22-14 vote, sending it to the Assembly. One Democrat voted against the measure....Schwarzenegger promised to veto the proposal, as he has two similar plans that previously reached his desk. Spokeswoman Rachel Arrezola cited the state's massive budget cuts and looming $20 billion deficit in arguing the state cannot afford to shift to a single-payer health care system.
"Any elected official who thinks it's a good idea to strap the state with tens of billions of dollars from a government-run health care system is clearly not in touch with what voters need and deserve," Arrezola said....

That's why they call it the Assimilated Press. Just like Fox News.

47 - Not only MA, but Hawaii too.

So basically California will not allow insurance companies to make money off of people who need medical treatment?

If approved that will mean CEO's of say Humana, Blue Cross and others will not be able to receive billion dollar bonuses every Christmas there by impacting the entire economy of the US and possibly increasing the number of people on food stamps.

As an ex-Califonrian it may be the time to start thinking about trekking back home.

Just so the voters remember his veto come reelection time.
He really is a another second rate B-Class Movie type Replicator Governor.

bye bye Ahhnold....hello Jerry Brown...hooray! ...health care for ALL!...

This is one of the reasons why I moved here!

It's the same with most illegal immigrants.

This is wonderful...! this is how Canada got their Health Care system ...one providence (state) at a time...thank you California for being brave enough to take the lead.. (would Governor Schwarzenegger really be dumb enough to try and veto this bill...?)

Its about time CA follows its history again and helps to put the nation on the right track. Single payer is the only way to bring the healthy into the system creating economy of size and benefit. CA has always been a leader and should once again show its leadership on this crisis issue that is crippling the state and nation financially. We must move to a system that is moral, financially sound and removes the corporate strong-hold on CA's health.

"We are spending $200 billion currently," Leno said. "It is the same $200 billion used in a more efficient, cost-effective fashion."

That's the whole point. Instead of money coming out of paychecks (and employers) that then goes to insurance companies, you simply reroute that money to the state single-payer fund. The money is transparent to workers; there is no difference noticed in payment. All that they will see is a giant improvement in health care: no annual caps, no pre-existing conditions, etc.

It should not cost the state a single penny. As a matter of fact, since no profit will be extracted to pay executives outrageous salaries/bonuses and pay shareholders, the state should run a surplus at the oncet.

This is an excellent plan. If herr Gubernator vetoes it, he's going to get some serious shit from Californians.

Since when has the government proved that they can run a program that does not become a money pit?

this internet thingey was a government program once

Shut up, dickhead.

Since when have the private insurers given the insured a good faith return on their dollar and their policies? Since when have insurance companies considered it their primary goal to deliver health care to their customers? Since when has the private insurance industry been as efficient with their operations as the Medicare system?

Since the new deal, for over 60 years.

Let me ask you conversely, when has private, for-profit enterprise EVER proved that it WANTS to compete and offer better products at a better price?

Private enterprises, driven only by greed and profit motive, want everything BUT to compete against each other. Their natural instinct is to build a monopoly, so that they can charge the highest price for the crappiest product they can get away with, and buy the politicians so they will look the other way. Welcome to the modern United States.

Let's also remember that health insurance companies are exempt from anti-trust laws. That makes them completely free to fix prices and raise them at their discretion. Deregulation has led to our current health care crisis, yet cireeric67 is happy that the private insurance industry lives in a free marketplace. I wonder if cireeric67 knows anyone who is losing everything because of an inability to pay for mountains of medical costs.

San Francisco has had universal health care for a while now. You do not have to participate and can keep your current coverage if you want. If you have no insurance you are automatically enrolled when you visit the clinic. Fees are on a sliding scale. Most folks are happy with it.

Happy with it? It's awesome.

This is exciting. For once I am proud of our CA legislature. Keep the ball rolling on this.

Single-payer health care YES!

If this passes then all states should follow suit. This is smart politics and they should be applauded for this as it will save money and cut out the middle man part of "insurers". Remove the greed factor and all should be well. Unfortunately as long as humans are involved, there will be greed as it is human nature. Sad but true, there will always be greed.

Screw California. Maybe the next earthquake will separate it for the rest of the US. Illegals rejoice. Did they already legalize pot? Sounds like they are smoking a ton of it.

If the Dems in congress were smart they could stop this nonsense between themselves and/or the Republicans and enact a seperate single payer simple option for all Americans with no restrictions that lets this stand alone and cannot be played with and let the chips fall where they may and give Americans what they want and need!

Personally I would like to see a new political party called FOR AMERICANS ONLY Party that shuts down completely the Republican and Democratic Parties dumps everyone in it and gives this country back to Americans and puts corporations in the box they belong in tightly controlled for humanity!

God help the governator if he vetoes this. He has taken so much from working and middle class people and have asked NOTHING with those who have access and money to health care amongst other things. He'll close schools, take away services from children and seniors, but won't raise taxes on those who can and SHOULD do it...for interest and welfare and solvency of the state. This fucker better not veto this or he is going to have some serious shit on his hands.

He'll veto it. He doesn't care what you think. And of course he cuts school budgets in order to give tax breaks to the rich - he's a republican! What else could you expect?

Californians have yet reached the point in their rage in which millions march on Sacramento. While it's true that Arnold has no interest in appeasing the middle class or making health care work for all, his survival instincts may tell him that massive marches and protests would be much like having an ostrich egg smashed on his face. He needs to be embarrassed and humiliated. He needs to be terrified that the Republican Party in California will be the object of ridicule for a decade or more. Massive protests will do just that. It just may be that, in California, we will see the first of populist uprisings across the country demanding that officials take action in the citizens' best interests.

Jeez. I need more coffee.

49 states to go....

48 -- MA.