WHEREAS:
The U.S. is the only industrialized country, other than South Africa, that has no program of national health care. Despite the fact the U.S. spends 11 % of its GNP on health care, 37 million Americans — one in six — lack health care insurance coverage and 50 million have inadequate protection; and
WHEREAS:
Among the many factors contributing to the 50% increase in the uninsured since 1980, the breakdown of health care coverage on the job is the biggest threat to access to care. Three-quarters of the 37 million uninsured today are workers and their families; and
WHEREAS:
Recent industry and workplace trends, cuts in public and private insurance, and competition in the health care delivery system combine to create a national crisis with respect to access to care. This lack of affordable health care contributes to rising medical inflation, endangers the health of millions of U.S. citizens and had placed a severe financial burden on public hospitals; and
WHEREAS:
Many uninsured working people can't afford private insurance and don't qualify for public insurance. Health care inflation has hurt insured workers as well; employers want to shift the costs to them by increasing premiums, deductibles and copayments. The result is that many workers delay seeking medical care because they can't afford it, which results in more costly treatment; and
WHEREAS:
Federal health care cost reduction initiatives, especially those affecting Medicaid, Medicare and related initiatives such as Gramm-Rudman have cut care to the medically indigent as well; and
WHEREAS:
Medicaid today covers 42% of those living below the federal poverty level, down from 63% in 1977. Medicare cost increases have seriously threatened financial access to the elderly. Medicare beneficiaries pay over half their medical bills out of pocket, an increase of more than 1/3 since 1980, and have no coverage for catastrophic illness, long-term care services or prescription drugs; and
WHEREAS:
Unions have succeeded in making the provision of health benefits part of employers' basic social responsibility. However, by necessity, bargaining in the 1980s has focused more on holding the line rather than expanding access to health benefits. Therefore, labor has supported federal and state proposals designed to improve access to the uninsured.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That a health care system that denies health care to millions of Americans is inhumane and costly. The only way to assure access to health care for every American is through passage of a National Health Care Program; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That until then, AFSCME will work on a number of fronts to achieve that goal. AFSCME opposes any further cuts in Medicare and Medicaid and. attempts to shift costs to beneficiaries and cut payments to Medicare providers; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME shall support federal legislation introduced by Senator Kennedy requiring all employers to provide a minimum level of health insurance for all employees who work 17.5 hours or more weekly; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME shall support federal legislation expanding the Medicare program to provide protection against catastrophic costs of serious acute care illnesses and long-term care services, including coverage for prescription drugs; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME shall support efforts to expand Medicaid to cover all those living below the federal poverty level, including specific proposals to cover pregnant women and children and the elderly and disabled; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME shall work aggressively to protect the rights and interest of health care employees whenever Medicare and Medicaid programs are used to create new service delivery systems; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME shall continue pressing federal and state governments to support legislation on mandatory Medicare assignment and disclosure of all insurance-related data describing access, cost and quality information on physicians, hospitals and other providers; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:
That AFSCME will work closely with the AFL-CIO and other labor unions, and coalitions such as the National Health Care Campaign, to fight for health care for all.
SUBMITTED BY:
International Executive Board