Resolution on S73 for State Single Payer

Resolution in favor of S 73, Enabling States to Enact Single Payer Health Care

WHEREAS the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA), though it has many useful features, will leave 25 million or more uninsured after 2017; and

WHEREAS ACA has inadequate cost controls; and

WHEREAS Massachusetts, with health care reform similar to ACA in effect for several years, still has 50% of its bankruptcies caused by health care expenses; and

WHEREAS age rating is retained in ACA, which imposes heavy cost penalties on people aged 50-64; and

WHEREAS insurance companies can still deny claims at will; and

WHEREAS ACA forbids enactment of state single payer programs until 2017; and

WHEREAS the State Leadership in Health Care Act (S 73) sponsored by Senators Sanders and Leahy of Vermont will enable states to collect all the federal funding and use for financing coverage of state-based programs as early as 2014; and

WHEREAS state single payer has been introduced into our state legislature as the Washington State Washington State Health Security Trust (SB 5609 and HB 1096); and

WHEREAS state single payer would provide affordable, comprehensive coverage of high quality health care for all residents of the state, using a unified and cohesive financing system which would use fewer health care dollars than we spend now;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that _____________ endorse the Sanders/Leahy bill S 73, and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that _____________ endorse the Washington State Health Security Trust bills (SB 5609 and HB 1096) currently before the legislature, and

THEREFORE BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that _______________ pledge to advocate and promote enactment of state single payer in Washington State and to support and encourage our state legislators and congressional representatives facilitate this goal.

Submitted to 2012 precinct caucuses by ________________