California legislators are putting a single-payer system back on the table, but it still faces long odds of becoming a reality, the Los Angeles Times reported Feb. 21.
The state's Legislature has considered a single-payer system around 10 times in the past, according to the Los Angeles Times, most recently in 2022.
A feasibility report commissioned by the state, published in 2022, found the state would need to raise $200 billion in new taxes and gain approval from the federal government for a single-payer effort.
California Assemblymember Ash Kalra reintroduced legislation to create a universal single-payer system dubbed "'CalCare," the Los Angeles Times reported. Mr. Kalra sponsored the previous effort in 2022.
A legislative analysis of Mr. Karla's 2022 legislation found it would cost between $314 and $391 billion in state funds, larger than California's entire proposed state budget for fiscal year 2024-2025.
California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas told reporters at the state Capitol he likes the idea of a single-payer system but needs to see how the system would be funded.
"It's a good idea but it's a tough, tough sell, especially in a budget climate that we are experiencing now," Mr. Rivas said.
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