Everyone living in the U.S. deserves high quality healthcare. No one should suffer poor health because they can’t afford to see a doctor or buy medication that they need. However, almost half of Floridians – including those with insurance – could not afford needed healthcare; about a third who did get necessary care struggled to pay their medical bills

The Alachua County Labor Coalition has joined Medicare for All Florida. Its goal is to remedy this dire situation by building support for Medicare for All. To do this, residents are asked to get counties to pass resolutions in support of the bill and send those resolutions to Federal legislators. A proposed resolution (full text at bottom) has been submitted to the Alachua County Commission.

Since the pandemic, the deficiencies of our medical system have become very clear and people would like to see it improved. However, insurance and pharmacology companies are increasingly profitable and make huge donations to legislators, including Democrats.

At last year's 5th Avenue Arts Festival, we found that most people we contacted were in favor of Medicare for All and over 100 signed the petition urging Gainesville City Commissioners to pass the resolution. This effort was successful; the City Commission passed a resolution in support of Medicare for All shortly after.

Current Medicare for All proposals are much better than current Medicare or Medicare Advantage. It covers all residents. It covers all medically necessary care including hospitalization, doctor visits, long-term care, prescription drugs, as well as dental, vision, hearing and mental health services.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office concluded in a recent report that Medicare for All would result in higher wages, increased household disposable income, and improve workers’ health and longevity.

Join us in this initiative to build a better and more inclusive healthcare system. Sign the petition to let the Alachua County Commission know that you support Medicare for All and the resolution below!

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RESOLUTION

THE ALACHUA COUNTY COMISSION IS CALLING ON FEDERAL LEGISLATORS TO ENACT H.R. 3421 AND S. 1655: MEDICARE FOR ALL ACT AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY CLERK TO PROVIDE COPIES OF THIS RESOLUTION TO FEDERAL LEGISLATORS REPRESENTING FLORIDA.

WHEREAS, every person in Alachua County, the State of Florida and the United States deserves high quality healthcare; and

WHEREAS, 27.6 million Americans have no health insurance, including over 2.6 million Floridians in 2021 (over 21,000 Alachua Countians); and

WHEREAS, almost half of Floridians (45%) including those who have insurance did not obtain needed health care such as filling prescriptions or seeing a doctor because of cost barriers, and about one-third of those who did get some needed healthcare struggled to pay their medical bills; and

WHEREAS, medical debt is the most common cause of bankruptcy, and

WHEREAS, since the Covid pandemic profits of insurance and pharmacological companies have continued to grow, while patients’ medical costs have continued to rise and many workers lost their jobs and their insurance coverage through becoming ill; and

WHEREAS, the United States spends more on healthcare than any other industrialized country, but has worse outcomes in many indicators such as life expectancy and infant mortality; and

WHEREAS, Medicare for All Act HR 3421 and S1655 would provide health insurance for every person in the United States covering all necessary health care including: hospital, surgical and outpatient services; primary and preventive care; prescription drugs; reproductive care; dental, vision and hearing care; mental health care; and long-term care; and

WHEREAS, Medicare for All Act HR 3421 and S1655 would provide coverage without premiums, copays, deductibles or other out-of-pocket expenses; and would assure patients of an unrestricted choice of doctors; and

WHEREAS, The Congressional Budget Office concluded in a recent report that Medicare for All would result in higher wages, increased household disposable income, improve workers’ health and longevity, and administrative waste in health care would be reduced, and

WHEREAS, Alachua County residents who are now uninsured or underinsured would enjoy a vast improvement in their quality of life, because they could obtain healthcare when they need it instead of delaying until they have a medical emergency; and

WHEREAS, members of the LGBTQ+ community are more likely to be uninsured or covered by Medicaid compared to non-LGBTQ+ individuals.

WHEREAS, enactment of HR3421 includes A Non-Discrimination clause based on gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy and related medical conditions (including termination of pregnancy) thus providing healthcare to members of the LGBTQ+ community and people requiring reproductive healthcare.

WHEREAS, universal health coverage as provided by HR3421 and S1655 would alleviate the lack of proper medical care for vulnerable communities including the unhoused, unemployed, people of color, people with low income; and

WHEREAS, enactment of HR3421 and S1655 includes that restrictions on the use of Federal Funds (as implemented by the Hyde Amendment of 2022) shall not apply to reproductive health services.

WHEREAS implementation of HR3421 and S1655 would provide coverage to all pregnant persons during and after the birth of their children.

WHEREAS, unbundling health insurance from employment would allow workers to leave unsatisfactory jobs without forfeiting insurance benefits; and

WHEREAS, recent polls show that a majority of Americans are in favor of the federal government ensuring American have healthcare coverage.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Alachua County Commission supports the enactment of HR3421 and S1655 and all subsequent legislation that will assure appropriate and efficient health care for all residents; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County Clerk is hereby authorized to send a certified copy of this resolution to Representative Kat Cammack, Senator Marco Rubio and Senator Rick Scott.