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A Resolution of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, urging the United States Congress to approve House Resolution 676, the United States National Health Insurance Act, establishing the United States National Health Insurance Program to provide all individuals residing in the United States and in U.S. territories with free health care that includes all medically necessary care, such as primary care, and prevention, prescription drugs, emergency care, and mental health services.
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WHEREAS, thousands of County residents either lack health insurance and depend upon hospital emergency rooms for health care or are under-insured; and
WHEREAS, according to 2005 census data, approximately 46.6 million United States residents were uninsured, with 1.4 million of these individuals residing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a figure which represents 11% of the Commonwealth's population; and
WHEREAS, Allegheny County has budgeted approximately $53.3 million for health care coverage of just under 7,000 County employees for 2007, which represents a 14% increase from the $46.6 million the County budgeted in 2006; and
WHEREAS, other entities within the County experience significant costs for health care, as evidenced by reports that twenty percent of the Port Authority of Allegheny County's budget is spent on health care costs; and
WHEREAS, Congressman John Conyers of Michigan, along with 60 other members of the United States House of Representatives have introduced H.R. 676, the United States National Health Insurance Act; and
WHEREAS, H.R. 676 would provide single payer, Medicare health insurance for all US residents through a publicly financed privately delivered health care system, unique to the US, under which residents would retain their choice of provider, doctors, nurses and treatment; and
WHEREAS, H.R. 676, if enacted, would cover primary care, outpatient care, emergency care, medications, durable medical equipment, long term care, mental health services, dentistry, vision, chiropractic and substance abuse; and
WHEREAS, Physicians for a National Health Program estimates that employers that provide health coverage for their employees currently pay an average of 8.5% of their payroll to healthcare costs, and that the United States National Health Insurance Program would, in its first year, result in a savings of $50 billion on overall health care spending, $150 billion on paperwork processing, and $50 billion through bulk purchases of medications, which would allow 95% of families in the United States to pay less for health care than they do currently; and
WHEREAS, under the terms of H.R. 676, a national, single payer health care system would be primarily financed by the imposition of a 3.3% payroll tax in addition to the current 1.45% Medicare tax;
The Council of the County of Allegheny hereby resolves as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Council of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, supports the institution of a single payer national health care system. The Council of Allegheny County accordingly urges the United States Congress to adopt the provisions of HR 676, such that the United States National Health Insurance Program is created to provide all individuals residing in the United States and in U.S. territories with free health care that includes all medically necessary care, such as primary care, and prevention, prescription drugs, emergency care, and mental health services.
SECTION 2.
The Council of Allegheny County further resolves that copes of this Resolution be provided to the Pennsylvania representatives in the United States Congress.
SECTION 3.
If any provision of this Resolution shall be determined to be unlawful, invalid, void or unenforceable, then that provision shall be considered severable from the remaining provisions of this Resolution which shall be in full force and effect.
SECTION 4.
Any Resolution or Ordinance or part thereof conflicting with the provisions of this Resolution is hereby repealed so far as the same affects this Resolution.