Vermont legislature passes bill to establish single payer health plan

The bill now goes to Gov. Peter Shumlin, who is expected to sign it.

The Associated Press/Boston Globe: Health Care Bill Heads To Vt. Governor's Desk
The Vermont House has given final approval to an ambitious plan to move Vermont toward a universal, publicly funded health care system. The next stop for the legislation is the desk of Gov. Peter Shumlin, a strong supporter. (The bill) would set up a new Green Mountain Care health insurance program under which every Vermont resident would be eligible for coverage. (5/5).

Vermont Public Radio: Health Care Bill Heads To Governor Shumlin
It establishes an exchange where consumers can compare private insurance policies based on a common benefits package and it creates a new 5 person Board that will oversee virtually every aspect of health care in the state. House Health Care chairman Mark Larson said the bill is needed because the state's current health care system is broken. ... The vote was largely along party lines. The Democrats and Progressives supported it and the Republicans opposed it (Kinzel, 5/6).

Burlington Free Press: Health Care Reform Bill On Way To Governor
The bill calls several years of planning and sets conditions that must be met before the state officials could launch the proposed Green Mountain Care program. (House Health Care Chairman Mark) Larson and other supporters of health reform have acknowledged the importance of federal funding to its success (Remsen, 5/6).

Related, earlier KHN story: Vermont Gov. Proposes Single-Payer Health Plan (Miles, 2/8).