[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by East of the River

If you look at polling much like same sex marriage single payer healthcare keeps increasing in popularity. At this point I think a centrist could go either way on it. Polls show 44-55% of voters would support single payer and again depending on poll even 13-25% of republicans would support it.

Nationally, the problem with single payer is that red state politics is all about denying social benefits to white trash, brown people, and African Americans. Single payer really doesn't work at the state level because all the sick people would just move from the red states to the blue states. Look at New Hampshire, for example. If you need services, you move to Vermont or Massachusetts. Live Free or Die, baby!

In my opinion, we should have single payer of last resort that's pretty bare bones. About 50% as good as blue state Medicaid. Most of us would supplement that with catastrophic health insurance that covers the expensive things. It would not be particularly generous for behavior-induced health issues. The lions share of expensive things have root causes like obesity, lack of exercise, tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. People have to take some personal responsibility for their health. If you have something expensive that is pure bad luck, the single payer system would be much more generous. I'd keep spending roughly what we spend today but change how it's being spent.

The Medicaid budget breaker is long term care. Right now, it's about 30% of the budget. The elderly poor who land in nursing homes. With our aging demographics and wealth stratification, that could very well be 50% of the budget in 30 years. This is an enormous national problem with no good solution. It's all labor costs. Nursing home staff already are very low wage so it's not like you can cut your labor costs.

[RunD1987]

Why can't the State set uip an open market of insurances at low cost, employers pay health tax & flat low business tax, legalize marijuanna to fund universal mental health care, State buys medication to distribute at low cost to those who need it, catastro0hic healthcare tax where the State pays 75% of live saving care cost, universal healthcare for individuals 65 & older, 6 year limit on Medicaid, tax rebates to individuals who haven't smoked in 6 months/joined a gym/had a physical/so forth, indivifuals are not mandated to have health insurance, and outside of Emergency Care allow probiders to refuse care to those that don't have insurance.

Wouldn't it be better if the State did away with income tax and estate tax.

Instead change CT tax system to: Flat bussiness tax of 7% and health tax of 3% for businesses with more than 500 employees. Less than 500 employees flat tax of 3% and 2% health tax. A 2% excess tax on Corporations and LOC.

2% Excess tax on individuals making $500,000 or more a year. Individuals are exempt from paying health tax and education tax.

2% Heath Care tax

2% Catastrophic Health Care tax

2% Community College Education tax

60 cent per gallon tax on gasoline/diesel for road maintenance

Car sales exempt from Sales Tax

CT Sale tax is 8%

Used Sales Tax on out of State purchases more than $5,000 of 4%

Then Local Level:
Mill Rates capped at 50% and School Tax

Excess tax of 10% on alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuanna.

[Mike 75]

Originally Posted by JayCT

As is pointed out here MANY times, the problems our state is facing are not strictly the Democrats fault. Malloy has only been Governor for 6 years. Before that we had 12 years of Republican leadership under Rowland and Rell and they did nothing to address the problem but kick it down the road. Malloy is just the unlucky one to have it all come to a head under his administration. I am NOT defending him but there is certainly more than enough blame for BOTH parties. Jay

Rowland most definitely deserves some share of the blame, but Rell dealt with a veto proof Democratic majority in the legislature for most of her tenure. She couldn't do anything about pensions and benefits if she wanted to. Malloy has been in office for 6 years and done nothing but watch it get worse and then turn around blame everyone else for inaction. And lets not forget that the Dems have controlled the legislature for most of the past 50 years. They own this mess.