Senators Tavares and Skindell Introduce Single-Payer Health Care for All Ohioans

COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 9 -- Ohio Senate Democrats issued the following information:

Today, State Senator Michael Skindell (D-Lakewood) and Assistant Senate Minority Leader Charleta B. Tavares (D-Columbus) introduced Senate Bill 91 to provide health care for all Ohioans through the creation of the Ohio Health Care Plan. This plan would provide single-payer universal access to quality health care, dental care and vision services.

"Containing health care costs and getting people--particularly low income workers--insured are still challenges. This is a burden on individuals and employers alike," said Senator Skindell. "Even with the Affordable Care Act, we have not yet attained universal coverage in our country. This bill seeks to solve that problem at the state level."

Providing affordable health care and containing costs has been an ongoing problem for quite some time. Many Americans are one health crisis away from financial ruin. This legislation would help address the dire health care problems in Ohio. With the uncertainty surrounding the Affordable Care Act in Washington DC, many Ohioans could lose essential insurance protections they had gained through the federal law. This would disproportionately affect those who have trouble paying for quality health care.

"While at the federal level we are debating the ACA and other proposals on their efficacy, cost savings, and most importantly whether they provide health care for all residents, now is the time to enact a state single-payer bill to provide simplification, efficiency and cost savings to Ohio's residents," said Senator Tavares.

Ohio has some of the best medical facilities in the world. At minimum, the senators believe Ohioans should be able to visit their doctor and receive the care they need without worrying about excessive costs. The Ohio Health Care Plan outlined in SB 91 is the blueprint needed in reengineering the state's health care financing system.

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