Vermont inches closer to single payer

POLITICO's Sarah Kliff reports today that a handful of states are scrambling to nullify the federal health care legislation -- but Vermont is trending in the opposite direction. Under the stewardship of the state's Democratic governor, a bill that moves the state towards single payer passed the state's lower chamber:

After a full day and evening of debate, the Vermont House gave preliminary approval to health care reform legislation that's designed to put the state on the path toward a single payer system. The vote on the measure was 89 to 47. Backers of the bill say it's needed because the state's current health care approach is broken. But opponents say it could dismantle the high quality system that's already in place.