HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 03/01/2022 - RESOLUTION 2022-036 EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR IMPROVE Agenda Item 11
Item # 11 Page 1
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY March 1, 2022
City Manager
STAFF
Ginny Sawyer, Policy and Project Manager
Carrie M. Daggett, Legal
SUBJECT
Resolution 2022-036 Expressing Support for Improved Medicare For All as a National or State Health Car e
System.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this item is to express support for both state and national legislators to actively support
legislation such as HR 1976, The Medicare for All Act 2021 or other similar legislation that provides
comprehensive and affordable health care for all.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution.
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
Prior to the pandemic, and even more so since, Council has supported efforts at the state and national level that
address more equitable and affordable health care.
The Council-adopted Legislative Policy Agenda includes the following:
HEALTH CARE: The City recognizes that the rapidly increasing cost of health care and health insurance
is a barrier to real wage growth, equitable health outcomes, and economic gains among many Fort
Collins residents. The City further recognizes that employer -sponsored health care and varying state
regulations that are not consistent across the United States have resulted in the system we have toda y.
Therefore, the City:
Supports health care policy that provides single-payer, not-for-profit health care to all residents.
Supports the portability of health care plans across employers and state-lines.
Supports health care policies that end the practice in the United States of employers being the primary
source of health insurance for citizens.
Supports policies that allocate costs to individuals and their families proportional to their ability to pay.
Based on the Legislative Policy Agenda and community support, this Resolution has been brought forward and
will be shared with the Governor of Colorado and our state and federal elected representatives.
-1-
RESOLUTION 2022-036
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR IMPROVED
MEDICARE FOR ALL AS A
NATIONAL OR STATE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
WHEREAS, by its adoption of Resolution 2020-112, and Resolution 2021-110, approving
the City’s Legislative Policy Agenda for the 2021 and 2022 legislative sessions, the City Council
has established that it is City’s legislative policy related to health care that the City:
1. Supports health care policy that provides single-payer, not-for-profit health care to
all residents.
2. Supports the portability of health care plans across employers and state-lines.
3. Supports health care policies that end the practice in the United States of
employers being the primary source of health insurance for residents.
4. Supports policies that allocate costs to individuals and their families proportional
to their ability to pay; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically demonstrated the failings of the
patchwork of health care financing programs serving Fort Collins, Colorado and the nation; and
WHEREAS, the pandemic has demonstrated the critical roles people of all income levels
provide to keep our economy functioning properly and that everyone in our society must have
access to high quality, affordable health care in order to continue providing these services; and
WHEREAS, the pandemic has also highlighted the systemic racial bias present in our
health care system: and
WHEREAS, the City’s goals for diversity, equity and inclusion cannot be fully realized
under the current patchwork of health care financing programs: and
WHEREAS, the increasing demand for affordable mental health services cannot be met
with our current health care financing system: and
WHEREAS, the current health care system is viewed as a root cause of intergenerational
poverty making it increasingly more difficult for Fort Collins residents to afford housing, child
care and elder care: and
WHEREAS, a comprehensive national health care system should negotiate the prices for
prescription drugs as is done in most other developed countries; and
WHEREAS, many small businesses in Fort Collins struggle to attract and retain
employees because employees are often looking for jobs with health care benefits; and
-2-
WHEREAS, the Fort Collins economy would benefit when entrepreneurs have the
freedom to pursue their vision without being constrained by the potential loss of health care for
themselves and their family members if they leave existing employment; and
WHEREAS, while an ultimate solution to the problem will be at the national level, the
current pain inflicted by our dysfunctional health care system is very local and directly impacting
Fort Collins residents.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
FORT COLLINS as follows:
Section 1. That the City Council hereby adopts the determinations and findings
contained in the recitals set forth above.
Section 2. That the Fort Collins City Council hereby urges the Governor of Colorado,
members of the Colorado General Assembly, and Colorado’s congressional delegation to
actively support legislation such as HR 1976, the Medicare for All Act of 2021 or subsequent or
similar legislation that results in comprehensive, affordable health care for all residents of the
United States and is funded by a not-for-profit, single payer system.
Section 3. That a copy of this Resolution should be sent by the Mayor on behalf of
the City Council to the Governor of Colorado, to members of the Colorado General Assembly
representing Fort Collins and to the members of Congress representing the Fort Collins area.
Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins this 1st
day of March, A.D. 2022.
__________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________
City Clerk