Support for SB 562: The Californians for a Healthy California Act
WHEREAS, all residents of the state have a human right to healthcare, and universal access to reliable, comprehensive health care is necessary for a healthy, productive population; those who cannot access needed healthcare may, as a result, be unable to maintain employment, contribute to the economy, learn in school or live a full, dignified life; California’s present healthcare system creates insecurity for all, even those with health insurance, who suffer unpredictable coverage, cancellations, little choice of providers, decreased benefits and increased premiums, co-pays and deductibles; and rising healthcare costs and cost shifting from insurance companies to patients are creating serious economic problems for employers and employees by undermining wages and pensions, pricing individual purchasers out of the market, escalating the number of uninsured and underinsured, and placing significant financial strain on public institutions; and
WHEREAS, a universal, single-payer health insurance system, with consolidated financing and an accountable public structure, has resulted in greater efficiency, lower costs to businesses, individuals and government; previous efforts to reform our healthcare system, notably the Affordable Care Act, did not result in a universal, comprehensive and affordable health care system, and even these programs are now under attack; and it is imperative that California protect its citizens by establishing a truly universal comprehensive system, which controls costs, and with eligibility based on residency; and
WHEREAS, SB 562 is efficient, eliminating waste by consolidating the functions of many insurance companies into one comprehensive public plan, thus saving consumers and the state billions annually;
NOW, BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Fresno County Democratic Central Committee hereby supports universal access to healthcare for all Californians through SB562, the Californians for a Healthy California Act, and urges our legislative representatives to work for passage of this bill.
—Fresno County Democratic Central Committee
