COLRAIN — Although the Selectboard opted not to put a resolution supporting Medicare for All on the warrant for Annual Town Meeting, Colrain voters may still be asked to weigh in on the matter if residents are successful in getting the signatures required to put it on the warrant as a citizen’s petition.
Resident David Greenberg told the board that for decades, state legislators have filed bills that sought to create a Massachusetts Health Care Trust, which would replace insurance companies in paying for residents’ health care needs. He would like Town Meeting voters to consider throwing their support behind this initiative, which is filed as S.860/H.1405, “An Act Establishing Medicare for All in Massachusetts,” this legislative session.
“This has been in the Legislature for about 30 years. We’ve been trying to get this passed,” he said. “In 2017, a whole bunch of towns in western Mass had nonbinding resolutions like what I’m presenting now, and it passed overwhelmingly, including in Colrain by a significant margin. If anything, I think things are worse today than they were then.”
According to the bill summary, the legislation “would transition the commonwealth to a single-payer health care system by removing profit-driven health insurance companies as the barrier between patients and providers, and instead allow the government to reimburse health care providers directly.” The bill, year after year, has failed to cross the finish line.
“Everybody would be covered by a trust fund established by the state, and companies would pay into it, and employees would pay into it. … It would cover everybody’s expenses — medical, dental, optical, all that stuff,” Greenberg explained. “No deductibles, no copays, and everybody would save a ton of money because all the insurance companies, which are the middlemen in this thing, are out of the equation. So we’re not paying for all that bureaucratic stuff.”
Over the years, cities and towns across the state have passed resolutions declaring their support for the bill. In September, Greenfield’s City Council voted 10-1 with one abstention to sign a letter of support for the legislation to implement single-payer health care.
Greenberg requested the Colrain Selectboard put a resolution in support of Medicare for All on the Annual Town Meeting warrant, though board members expressed hesitation.
“I think it sends a better message if the board decides this a worthwhile thing and lets the townspeople know that,” Greenberg said.
Selectboard Chair Emily Thurber told Greenberg that she felt a Selectboard vote to put a resolution on the warrant would imply the board is in favor of it. Instead, she recommended Greenberg pursue a citizen’s petition. The board has historically not voted on or offered a recommendation for citizen’s petition articles.
“I would recommend that you do a citizen’s petition because I think that’s a really good example to set for folks, that anyone can put something on the warrant,” Thurber explained. “Also, because this didn’t originate here; this is your idea. I’m not saying it’s a bad idea, but it’s not really a board initiative.”
Greenberg agreed to pursue a citizen’s petition, which requires 10 signatures to be put on the warrant. In an email on Thursday, Greenberg said he is working to finalize the wording of the petition article. He hopes to hold an information session to explain the goals of the resolution and what a single-payer health care system could look like, but a date and time have not been set yet.
Those looking for more information can email Greenberg at david.greenberg3@gmail.com.