(COMMON DREAMS) Jake Johnson, May 31, 2017 — In addition to a new poll showing it would be extraordinarily popular, California’s single-payer bill—the Healthy California Act—would also cut costs while providing coverage for all.

That is the conclusion of a new analysis (PDF) published on Wednesday by the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI).

“We estimate that, through implementation of Healthy California, overall costs of providing full health care coverage to all Californians could fall by about 18 percent relative to spending levels under the existing system,” the authors of the report note.

They conclude:

In sum, the establishment of the Healthy California single-payer system will generate financial benefits for both families and businesses throughout the California economy. For families at most income levels and for businesses of most sizes, these financial benefits will be substantial. These benefits are in addition to those that the residents of California will achieve through having universal access to decent health care.

The analysis, which was commissioned by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Association, adds fuel to an ongoing debate over the costs of insuring all Californians—a debate sure to reverberate nationally.

As the extremely unpopular American Health Care Act lingers in the Senate, polls increasingly show that most Americans view single-payer healthcare favorably. Last year, Gallup found that a majority of Americans would support replacing the Affordable Care Act with a Medicare-for-all style program. PERI’s analysis attempts to show that such a program, if implemented correctly, is no utopian fantasy but rather fiscally sound public policy.

“What this new study proves is that we can finally achieve the dream of guaranteeing health care for all Californians, without the punishment of crippling out of pocket costs, at far less than what was predicted by those who make enormous profits off the pain and suffering of everyday Californians,” said RoseAnn DeMoro, the executive director of National Nurses United.

Source: New Analysis Shows ‘Medicare for All’ Can Cover Everyone While Cutting Costs | Common Dreams