HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-036-03/01/2022-EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR IMPROVED MEDICARE FOR ALL AS A NATIONAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM RESOLUTION 2022-036
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR IMPROVED
MEDICARE FOR ALL AS A
NATIONAL 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,childcare
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
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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 1 st
day of March, A.D. 2022.
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City Clerk