A bill that would create a universal health care system in California has passed its first hurdle in the State Senate. But even if the measure is ultimately approved, it faces a likely veto from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The governor vetoed a similar bill last year. KPBS Reporter Kenny Goldberg has more.
Governor Schwarzenegger is pushing his own health care reform plan. He argues a universal health care system would be socialized medicine that wouldn't control costs.
Donna Gerber is the director of government relations for the California Nurses Association. She contends a single payer system is not a radical idea.
Gerber: We did it for people who were age 65 and older, we call it Medicare. We can now simply expand that same concept to everybody under 65.
The pending bill would pay for universal care by using all of the money spent on public programs like Medi-Cal. Employers would face a payroll tax, and employees would pay in, too. The measure would eliminate the need for private health insurance.
Kenny Goldberg, KPBS News.
