Topic: Torture and human rights.
The round-table discussion, to begin at 8:00 pm, will be preceded at 7:30 pm by consideration of a resolution on healthcare reform submitted subsequent to last month's program on that topic. The text of the resolution is listed below:
PROPOSED PCDO RESOLUTION SUPPORTING HR 676: Resolution In Support of HR 676 Resolution supporting and endorsing HR 676, The United States National Health Care Act, that would provide comprehensive, guaranteed, and affordable national health insurance to every U.S. resident, from birth to death. HR 676 would also allow state and local governments to significantly reduce the funds they spend on health care for their employees and uninsured residents.
WHEREAS in 2006, PCDO has already taken a formal stance supporting universal healthcare as a policy priority for the federal government;
WHEREAS every person in New Jersey and the United States deserves equal access to affordable quality health care;
WHEREAS illness and medical bills contribute to 50 percent of all U.S personal bankruptcies, affecting more than 2 million Americans annually, especially those without health insurance or those with inadequate health insurance;
WHEREAS Americans already pay more per capita than any other nation for health care, almost twice the amount of other industrialized nations, yet according to the World Health Organization we rank 37th in health system performance;
WHEREAS the U.S. could save over $380 billion annually with an efficient, single payer national health insurance program by expanding the risk pool to the entire U.S. population, negotiating prescription drug and medical supply purchases, reducing administrative costs, and by eliminating the need for administration, marketing and profits associated with private insurance;
WHEREAS a national single-payer plan restores control over medical care to the patient and his/her chosen medical professionals;
WHEREAS there are an estimated 1.25 million New Jersey residents who do not have health insurance coverage, of which over 240,000 are children;
WHEREAS the cost of providing health care to New Jersey's residents has become a burden to NJ employers, as well as NJ municipalities and taxpayers. According to the Institute of Medicine, the uninsured in our State cost our State an estimated $2.9 billion annually. This far exceeds the cost to provide health insurance to these uninsured New Jersey residents, demonstrating the need to undertake a major overhaul and reform of the health insurance system;
WHEREAS the State of New Jersey could dramatically reduce the burden on our state budget by realizing savings on health benefits costs for current and retired state employees under a national health insurance program such as proposed under HR 676;
WHEREAS a national health insurance program would free New Jersey doctors, hospitals, and other medical care facilities from the consistent burdens and expenses of paperwork created by having to deal with multiple insurers with different rules;
WHEREAS HR 676, the U.S. National Health Care Act, sponsored by Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) would assure comprehensive coverage (hospital, physician, prescriptions, vision, hearing, dental, chiropractic, podiatry, mental heath, drug rehabilitation, palliative and long-term care) for all New Jersey and U.S. residents, protect the doctor patient relationship, assure patients a completely free choice of doctors and allow physicians a free choice of practice settings;
WHEREAS HR 676 now has 75 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives, the endorsement of 39 out of 50 statewide chapters of the AFL-CIO and 125 Central Labor Councils nationwide, the NJ State Industrial Union Council, and fifteen other state-wide or county-wide labor organizations in New Jersey, therefore be it
RESOLVED the Princeton Community Democratic Organization believes that both controlling health care costs and ensuring health care for all residents is of vital importance, now, and be it further
RESOLVED that the Princeton Community Democratic Organization hereby supports the adoption of H.R. 676, the U.S. National Health Care Act, in order to achieve universal access to comprehensive, quality coverage for health care; and be it further
RESOLVED that our Corresponding Secretary is hereby directed to transmit copies of this signed resolution to President Barack Obama, New Jersey's entire Congressional delegation, the Governor of New Jersey, and members of the NJ State Legislature representing Districts 14 and 15.
