The United States spends far more on healthcare costs than other industrialized countries, yet we continue to have wider gaps of coverage and report worse health outcomes. California Assemblymember Ash Kalra is paving the way for a better system in his state through the California Guaranteed Health Care for All Act, which has been advancing through the state legislature. He’s on the show today to explain how it would work, the hurdles it faces, and how CalCare could become the blueprint for national health care reform. 

Ash Kalra represents California’s 27th District. In 2016 he became the first Indian American to serve in the California Legislature in state history and was re-elected to his third term in 2020.

Twitter: @Ash_Kalra

Universal health care bill advances in California Assembly: https://www.kpbs.org/news/local/2022/01/12/universal-health-care-bill-advances-california-assembly 

‘CalCare’ begins its long crawl to passage:
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/california-playbook/2022/01/12/calcare-begins-its-long-crawl-to-passage-495692 

California Democrats Revive Universal Health Care Bill, Paid For By Tax Increase:
https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2022/01/06/universal-health-bill-california-democrats-tax-increase/ 

Fundamental health reform like ‘Medicare for All’ would help the labor market:
https://www.epi.org/publication/medicare-for-all-would-help-the-labor-market/ 

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