JOINT RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO ENACT LEGISLATION TO ENSURE HEALTH CARE FOR ALL

your Memorialists, the Members of the One Hundred and Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Maine now assembled in the First Special Session, most respectfully present and petition the United States Congress as follows:

WHEREAS,  every person in Maine and in the United States deserves access to affordable, quality health care; and

WHEREAS,  there is a growing crisis in health care in the United States of America, manifested by rising health care costs, increased premiums, increased out-of-pocket spending, the decreased competitiveness of our businesses in the global economy and significant worker layoffs; and

WHEREAS,  most health insurance access is provided through employment, and health insurance premiums have grown 4 times faster than worker earnings over the last 6 years; and

WHEREAS,  Maine ranks 5th in the nation in access to health care and 2nd in quality and is committed to maintaining access to affordable, quality health care for all Maine people and all Americans; and

WHEREAS,  forty-seven million Americans lack health insurance, with 129,000 people in Maine without health insurance; and

WHEREAS,  even those insured now often experience unacceptable medical debt and sometimes life-threatening delays in obtaining health care; and

WHEREAS,  those without health insurance suffer higher rates of mortality and a decreased quality of life; and

WHEREAS,  access to consistent, preventive health care saves lives and dollars; and

WHEREAS,  one-half of all personal bankruptcies are due to illnesses or medical bills; and

WHEREAS,  the complex, fragmented and bureaucratic system for financing and providing health insurance consumes approximately 30% of United States health care spending; and

WHEREAS,  access to affordable health care will improve the competitiveness of businesses and the viability of our health care providers; now, therefore, be it

That We, your Memorialists, on behalf of the people we represent, take this opportunity to respectfully urge and request that the United States Congress enact legislation to ensure the availability of health care for all Americans that guarantees quality, affordable health care coverage for every American; and be it further

That suitable copies of this resolution, duly authenticated by the Secretary of State, be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and to each Member of the Maine Congressional Delegation.