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WHEREAS, there are 47 million people in our nation without health insurance coverage and over 50 million with inadequate healthcare coverage; and,
WHEREAS, the number of employers who can provide healthcare insurance to their employees continues to decline each year as premiums continue to escalate beyond the rate of inflation ; and,
WHEREAS, typical labor contract negotiations now center on concessionary demands from employers requiring growing numbers of employees to lose benefits or contribute an ever greater share of these costs, thereby reducing their real take home wages ; and,
WHEREAS, healthcare costs for active and retired public employees are placing a tremendous strain on the operating budgets of local, county and state governments; and,
WHEREAS, our current for-profit insurance run system of health care is driving up the cost of healthcare unnecessarily due to high administrative overhead and wasteful marketing expenditures resulting in huge profits and "excessive revenues"; and,
WHEREAS, various legislative proposals have now emerged at the state and federal level requiring a single payer system of payment to all private providers of healthcare services chosen by consumers; and,
WHEREAS, a growing number of labor, community, religious and professional health care organizations have embraced the principles enumerated in State Senate Bill 300/ HB 1660 and at the federal level H.R. 676 which would ensure that all residents have comprehensive healthcare benefits; and, .
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh embraces the concept of a Single Payer Improved Medicare for All system and encourages all residents to participate in a National Healthcare Day sponsored by the W. PA Coalition for Single Payer Healthcare and State Senator Jim Ferlo on Friday, December 14, 2007, from 11-4 in the lobby of the City County Building; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare December 14, 2007, to be NATIONAL HEALTHCARE DAY in the City of Pittsburgh.