California's four democratic candidates for governor were split on the issue of single-payer healthcare during a public forum Sunday sponsored by the National Union of Healthcare Workers, according to KQED.
Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and former state Superintendent of Public Instruction Delaine Eastin, both in the running for the 2020 election, reiterated their support for a single-payer system, while other candidates like State Treasurer John Chiang and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa were hesitant to fully back the idea.
Earlier this year, California's state senate approved SB 562 , a bill that would create a Medicare-for-all system. However, the bill did not include funding details and was eventually stalled in the state assembly. Mr. Villaraigosa raised questions about how the system could be funded, pointing to the $200 billion in additional revenue that the state would need to generate. Ms. Eastin argued the funds could be raised from a partial income tax increase and a gross receipts tax.
While Mr. Newsom emphasized California's need to be a progressive trendsetter for national policy, Mr. Chiang said the state should approach a single-payer system incrementally.
"We don't have to go all in to provide all the services all at once," Mr. Chiang said, according to KQED. "Let's make sure what we're implementing, we can scale up appropriately, and show its effectiveness in the program."