Chicago, Illinois - Rejecting a “band-aid approach” to healthcare, the University Professionals of Illinois, AFT Local 4100, endorsed HR 676, single payer healthcare legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers (D-Mich).
“Beyond the fact that 46 or 47 million uninsured Americans are forced to play Texas Hold ‘Em with their health care, nearly a third of our health care dollars supports private insurance bureaucracy and paperwork. That’s not health care. That’s waste,” said Sue Kaufman, UPI Local 4100 president.
AFT local 4100 represents faculty and staff in 12 chapters at seven public universities in Illinois. It is affiliated with the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the American Federation of Teachers, and the AFL-CIO. The Executive Board of the 3,000 member local unanimously approved the endorsement on December 1.
Another AFT affiliated group, the Illinois Federation of Teachers Universities Council, also endorsed HR 676.
HR 676 would institute a single payer health care system in the U.S. by expanding a greatly improved Medicare system to every resident.
HR 676 would cover every person in the U. S. for all necessary medical care including prescription drugs, hospital, surgical, outpatient services, primary and preventive care, emergency services, dental, mental health, home health, physical therapy, rehabilitation (including for substance abuse), vision care, chiropractic and long term care. HR 676 ends deductibles and co-payments. HR 676 would save billions annually by eliminating the high overhead and profits of the private health insurance industry and HMOs.
HR 676 currently has 86 co-sponsors in addition to Conyers. Co-sponsors and bill text are here:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.00676:
HR 676 has been endorsed by 345 union organizations in 48 states including
94 Central Labor Councils and Area Labor Federations and 29 state AFL-CIOs (KY, PA, CT, OH, DE, ND, WA, SC, WY, VT, FL, WI, WV, SD, NC, MO, MN, ME, AR, MD-DC, TX, IA, AZ, TN, OR, GA, OK, KS & CO).
For further information, a list of union endorsers, or a sample endorsement resolution, contact:
Kay Tillow
All Unions Committee For Single Payer Health Care--HR 676 c/o Nurses Professional Organization (NPO)
1169 Eastern Parkway, Suite 2218
Louisville, KY 40217
(502) 636 1551
Email: nursenpo@aol.com
12/17/07
No comments:
Post a Comment