Legislative update

Election 2016: How health-related initiatives in several states fared

In this year’s election, voters decided on measures that have the potential to impact wellness and health care delivery in several states.

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In this year’s election, voters made decisions on measures that have the potential to impact wellness and health care delivery in several states. Here’s a quick rundown:

Single-payer health care: In Colorado, voters rejected an amendment that would have created a universal health care program for the state and levied a 10% payroll tax to help pay for it.

Medi-Cal: Voters in California, by way of Proposition 52, put in place a requirement that any changes to the hospital fee program that helps fund Medi-Cal, the state’s low-income insurance program, must be approved by a majority of voters or a two-thirds majority state legislature vote.

Drug prices: California voters rejected Proposition 61, which would have required state agencies to pay the same rates for prescription medicines as the Veterans Affairs Department does.

Medical device tax: In Nevada, voters passed a measure that will exempt certain medical devices from the state sales tax. According to KOLO News Now, the Medical Patient Tax Relief Act must be approved by voters again in 2018 before it can become a constitutional amendment.

Physician-assisted suicide: Colorado became the sixth state to legalize physician-assisted suicide, also known as medical aid in dying, when voters approved Proposition 106.

Medical marijuana: Four states—Arkansas, Florida, Montana and North Dakota—passed ballot measures approving legalizing marijuana for medical use only.

Tobacco taxes: California voters approved a $2-per-pack increase on tobacco taxes, while those in Colorado, Missouri, and North Dakota rejected proposed tobacco tax hikes.

One comment

  1. thomas horowitz

    We are seeing more and more a trend toward the “legislative” practice of medicine. We must become more active in political affairs so that physicians, not politicians establish the quality of care out patients need!

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