Nonbinding referendum on single payer passes in several Massachusetts towns

Thirteen out of fourteen Massachusetts state House districts have voted to approve a referendum calling for a single-payer health insurance plan. The ballot measure was organized by Mass-Care, a statewide coalition of groups in favor of a single payer, Medicare for all system. The last district hasn't totaled up its votes, as of this morning.

The ballot passed in four representative districts that voted for Republican Scott Brown in last year's special Senate election, which was seen as an early referendum on the new federal health care bill.

Massachusetts has its own single-payer bill in the works and the vote on this non-binding referendum will probably result in more state representatives signing on as co-sponsors, according to Mass-Care director Ben Day.