Agenda 09-03-19 Item 8-a - Minutes

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22 1 WHEREAS, studies show that universal healthcare will not be achievable without serious 2 downward pressure on out-of-control healthcare costs in the US; and 3 4 WHEREAS, the US has the highest costs in the world, spending on average double per capita 5 what most other countries spend per capita, even as 12.5% of adults had no health insurance at 6 all in the first half of 2018, which is worse than 2013 and is expected to rise as premiums 7 increase without checks; and 8 9 WHEREAS, according to the CDC, only 8.5 million people got plans from healthcare.gov for 10 2019; and 11 12 WHEREAS, out-of-pocket costs for individuals with insurance is forcing them to delay care at 13 extraordinary rates, noting that more than half of 18-44 year olds did not get care in the 12 14 months preceding February 2018; and 15 16 WHEREAS, 45% of adults age 19-64 are now underinsured, many of whom are on employer- 17 based private insurance plans; and 18 19 WHEREAS, the cost of health insurance continues to rise while workers' wages and benefits 20 continue to stagnate and fall; and 21 22 WHEREAS, nearly 60% of for-profit insurance revenue of Cigna, Anthem, Humana, Aetna, and 23 United Healthcare is now coming from Medicare and Medicaid; and 24 25 WHEREAS, public dollars are used to subsidize private insurance companies, with ACA 26 subsidies and more and more Medicaid and Medicare being taken over by private for-profit 27 companies, who then deny care; and 28 29 WHEREAS, these high costs and meager coverages do not contribute to higher health 30 outcomes with the US ranking lowest in the world when compared to similar countries and 31 people are dying at increasing rates; and 32 33 WHEREAS, the establishment of a Medicare for All single payer system in the United States will 34 free millions of workers who are currently dependent on their employers for health insurance, 35 with workers not only having greater security in access to care for themselves and their families, 36 but also greater flexibility to change jobs and professions or start their own business to suit their 37 unique skill sets (19% of people age 50-64 say they are staying in current jobs rather than 38 change or retire because of health insurance needs, even as many young people out of college 39 are unable to occupy these jobs); and 40 41 WHEREAS, over 1,000 national, regional and local unions, state labor federations and central 42 labor councils have endorsed Medicare for All and organizations like the National Nurses 43 United, the Labor Campaign for Single-Payer and Physicians for a National Health Program 44 have made single-payer a priority in their work such that the campaign represents a major 45 opportunity to build relationships with and forge solidarity with the leading edge of the labor 46 movement; and 47 48 WHEREAS, abolishing the health insurance industry will require an unprecedented level of 49 mobilization and organization; 50