Gov. Shumlin signs law putting Vermont on path to single-payer system

The New York Times: Vermont Governor Signs Health Care Law
Gov. Peter Shumlin signed a bill on Thursday that sets Vermont on a path to creating the nation's first publicly financed health care. The law calls for something close to a single-payer system, with doctors and hospitals billing one entity, the state government, for their services (Goodnough, 5/27).

Reuters: Vermont Moving Toward Single-Payer Health Care
Vermont became the first state to lay the groundwork for single-payer health care on Thursday when its governor signed an ambitious bill aimed at establishing universal insurance coverage for all residents. "This law recognizes an economic and fiscal imperative," Democratic Governor Peter Shumlin said as he signed the bill into law at the State House (Howard, 5/26). 

CQ HealthBeat: Vermont Lays Out A Path To Single-Payer, But It's A Long Journey
Thursday was a day of celebration for advocates of single-payer health care when Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin signed into law a measure that's intended to pave the way for government-run health care in the Green Mountain State. But it's a case of delayed gratification. Numerous questions and uncertainties surround implementation, the costs have not been determined, and the law is unlikely to go into effect until sometime six years or more down the road (Norman, 5/26).