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Rep. Dennis Kucinich passes amendment to let states establish their own health care programs
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| Contributor | Craverguy |
| Last Edited | Craverguy Jul 18, 2009 08:02pm |
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| Category | Proposed Legislation |
| Author | Sabrina Eaton |
| News Date | Saturday, July 18, 2009 12:00:00 AM UTC0:0 |
| Description | Cleveland Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich struck a blow towards his goal of establishing a national government-run health care program by attaching a provision to health care reform legislation that would let states create their own health care programs.
Kucinich's amendment, which the House Education and Labor Committee adopted in a 27-19 vote, would relieve states from a provision in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act that lets the federal government block state programs that impinge on employer-based health care plans.
Kucinich's office says legislators in several states, including New York, California and Kansas, want to launch state-run plans, and his amendment will clear their path.
"A single payer health care plan is the best and most tested way to provide health care for eeryone while increasing quality and controlling costs," Kucinich said in a press release.
Three House committees are concurrently drafting health care reform legislation. Kucinich spokesman Nathan White said their efforts will be put together in a joint bill that will hopefully contain Kucinich's amendment. In the Senate, the measure would likely have support from single payer health care backers like Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
"The congressman still wants a national single payer plan, but that's been taken off the table by the administration," said White. "This is a way to keep it as an option for states that want to implement it." |
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