Gavin Newsom, Early Champion of Single-Payer, Moderates in the Face of Fiscal Limits By Angela Hart May 1, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/insurance/gavin-newsom-california-single-payer-universal-healthcare-2028/ SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In his earliest days in the governor’s office, Democrat Gavin Newsom huddled with his advisers to consider how to realize a key campaign promise: transforming a healthcare system replete with insurance company intermediaries into the nation’s first state-run single-payer model providing comprehensive coverage to all residents, similar to those in Canada and Taiwan.