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Corrigan, Dunn, FitzGerald,
<br />George, Roth, Seelie, Skindell.
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<br />RESOLU1/ONNO. 7690-02 BY: Corrigan, Dunn, FitzGerald,
<br /> George, Roth, Seelfe, Skindell.
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<br /> A RESOLUTION requesting the Ohio General Assembly to act without delay to pass a
<br />publicly funded, not-for-profit health insurance program guaranteeing coverage of all Ohioans.
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<br /> WHEREAS, over 44 million people in our country (APPROXIMATELY 100,000 in
<br />Cuyahoga County), including 10 million children, have no health care insurance; and
<br />
<br /> WHEREAS, this Council recognizes that there is a growing crisis in healthcare in the
<br />State of Ohio manifested by massive layoffs, a steep increase in premiums, co-payments and
<br />deductibles, and the closing of many health care facilities serving low-to-middle income
<br />residents; and
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<br /> WHEREAS, a substantial number of people have impaired access to healthcare because
<br />of inadequate coverage, prohibitively high out-of-pocket costs, services not covered by insurance
<br />plans, and limits on lifetime spending; and
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<br /> WHEREAS, the bureaucratic structure and its inefficiencies distract health care providers
<br />fix~m providing efficient and effective medical services to patients and places a drain on the
<br />financial resources of Ohio taxpayers; and
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<br /> WHEREAS, for the great majority of people, health care is tied to employment and
<br />workers face an uncertain future as layoffs mount and insurance premium costs rise sharply; and
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<br /> WHEREAS, employers shift costs to workers and limit choice to one ortwo plans, while
<br />insurance companies frequently deny coverage for needed treatment and refuse to cover costs for
<br />prescription drugs, dental and vision care; and
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<br /> WHEREAS, health care shouM he a right available to all, not a commodity accorded to
<br />some; and
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<br /> WHEREAS, currently our health care dollars - as much as 30 cents of every premium
<br />dollar - are spent on admlnl.qtration, marketing and shareholder dividends whereas less than three
<br />cents of every Medicare dollar is spent on adminl.qtmtive costs; and
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<br /> WHEREAS, the United States is the only industrialized nation in the world without
<br />national health care; and
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<br /> WHEREAS, the Cleveland City Council passed a resolution in January of 2002 urging
<br />the Ohio General Assembly to adopt a publicly funded, not-for-profit health insurance;
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<br /> WHEREAS, this resolution constitutes an emergency measure for the immediate
<br />preservation of public peace, property, health or safety, now, therefore:
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<br />BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF LAKEWOOD, STATE OF OHIO:
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<br /> Section 1. That this Council requesting the Ohio General Assembly to act without delay
<br />to pass a publicly funded, not-for-profit health insurance program guaranteeing coverage of all
<br />Ohioans and lifetime coverage for all
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<br /> Section 2. That the Clerk of Council he and she is hereby authorized and directed to
<br />forward certified copies of this resolution to the offices of Governor Robert Taft, President of the
<br />Ohio Senate, Richard H. Fimm, the Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, Larry
<br />Householder, Ohio Senator Dan Brady, and State Represemative Bryan FJannery and that a copy
<br />of this resolution he spread upon the minutes ofthis meeting.
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