Nurses Laud Senate Passage of Single-Payer Bill, SB 840 On Eve of Major Public Event with Michael Moore, RNs, Doctors and Patients

California took a big step forward on the road to genuine healthcare reform today as the state Senate approved a landmark single-payer bill to establish comprehensive healthcare for all that ends insurance industry interference with the delivery of care.

SB 840, authored by state Sen. Sheila Kuehl, was approved on a 22-14 vote, and next goes to the state Assembly.

Notably passage of the bill came just days before the California appearance of filmmaker Michael Moore whose new documentary "SiCKO" provides a blistering indictment of the healthcare industry and chronicles the massive problems that SB 840 would help correct.

Moore will testify to a legislative briefing hosted by Kuehl on Tuesday, June 12 in the Capitol at 12 noon, followed by a rally with Moore and nurses, doctors, and healthcare activists from around the U.S. on the West Steps of the Capitol.

Moore will then join the RNs, doctors, and other guests for a special screening of the film at 3:30 p.m. Moore's appearance, the rally, and screening are being hosted by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee which is also the principal sponsor of SB 840.

CNA/NNOC Executive Director Rose Ann DeMoro called the Senate vote "a beacon of hope for Californians who fear for their health and economic security."

She noted that SB 840 "is the only reform in California that will assure everybody has care where and when they need it without being held hostage to a callous and uncaring insurance and healthcare industry that long ago abandoned its caring mission in favor of the pursuit of profit at any cost."

"California is leading the nation on healthcare reform with passage of SB 840," stated Senator Kuehl.  "This is the gold standard for health reform and the only way to achieve the kind of healthcare system that Californians want and deserve."

SB 840 establishes a system similar to an expanded and improved Medicare for all, and is sometimes referred to as a single-payer plan because there is one pool of publicly administered funds for care delivered by the current, mostly private hospitals, clinics, physicians and other providers.