At its June 10, meeting, The Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee (HCDCC) adopted a resolution (below) calling on the Obama administration and Congress to enact a Single Payer Healthcare System for the citizens of the United States.

The United States is experiencing a healthcare affordability crisis. Our healthcare system is the most expensive healthcare delivery system in the world. It is estimated that 45 million Americans are without healthcare insurance and healthcare costs are the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in the United States. These costs directly affect the competitiveness of the United States in the global marketplace. It is estimated that 30% of healthcare costs in the United States are administrative costs.

A single payer healthcare system operates in a fashion similar to Medicare. It eliminates the need for health insurance. All citizens are covered. The government negotiates reimbursement rates with doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers and pays for the treatment of the citizen. Citizens can be treated by the doctor of their choice. It is not socialized medicine. Doctors remain as private practitioners and hospitals remain privately or corporately owned.

This resolution in its entirety is reproduced below. The HCDCC website is www.humboldtdemocrats.org.

RESOLUTION FOR A SINGLE PAYER HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

Whereas, it is the right of every citizen in the United States to have access to affordable healthcare, and;

Whereas, the mixed public-private sector healthcare system in the United States is the most expensive healthcare system in the world, costing more per person than in any other nation, and;

Whereas, a greater portion of gross domestic product (GDP) is spent on healthcare in the United States than in any other United Nations member state except for the Marshall Islands, and;

Whereas, the United States is the only wealthy, industrialized nation that does not ensure that all citizens have coverage, and;

Whereas, the World Health Organization, in 2000, ranked the US healthcare system 37th in overall performance and 72nd by overall level of health, and;

Whereas, currently, 30% of healthcare costs in the United States are administrative costs, and;

Whereas, healthcare costs are the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in the United States and these costs directly affect the competitiveness of the United States in the global marketplace, and;

Whereas, currently, decisions to provide medial expenses to the insured are made by “for profit” administrators, and;

Whereas, 45 million Americans are without healthcare insurance and their medical costs are a direct hidden cost paid for by all,

Therefore be it resolved that a single payer healthcare system administered by the Federal Government is the only prudent alternative to solve our current healthcare crisis, and;

Be it further resolved that the Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee calls upon the Obama administration and Congress and particularly our elected representatives Mike Thompson, Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer to enact a single payer healthcare system for the citizens of the United States.