Universal Single-payer, Not-for-profit Health Care..

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Whereas each citizen’s "pursuit of happiness" depends upon maintaining health; and

Whereas a healthy economy depends upon a healthy and productive citizenry; and

Whereas 48 million uninsured Americans and millions more underinsured are forced to use only emergency, often too-late care, which ends up costing tax payers billions of dollars; and

Whereas many families with access to health care are driven into poverty by the high cost of premiums and high deductibles and out-of-pocket costs; and

Whereas health insurance costs for businesses have increased steadily since 1998 and often force small businesses to hire part-time staff with no benefits or to stop offering health insurance completely; and

Whereas insurance companies protect and increase profits even when doing so diminishes the very health care they are meant to make possible; and

Whereas the removal of the profit motive from the health care system would refocus the system on health; and

Whereas the U.S. pays more than all other industrialized countries for health care, but provides less coverage to fewer people; and

Whereas the General Accounting Office concludes that if the U.S. shifted to a single- payer, not-for-profit system of universal coverage, "the savings in administrative costs would be more than enough to offset the cost" of providing health care to everyone; therefore be it

RESOLVED:
* That we support the establishment of a universal single-payer, not-for-profit national health care system in the U.S.;
* That such a system be publicly financed but privately delivered; allow people to choose their own health care providers; provide preventative health care, dental care, mental health care, and affordable prescription drugs; and make health care available to everyone regardless of pre-existing conditions, status of employment, or income level.

Original version, entitled "Single Payer Universal Health Care", was written by Texans for Kucinich, Jan. 2004.
Updated by K. Kain, Feb. 2008.