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Newsroom
8/7/2008
The Austin City Council today will consider a resolution in support of the United States National Health Insurance Act (H.R. 676). That bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, sponsored by John Conyers (D-Michigan), would create a nation-wide single-payer health care system.
“This is not socialized medicine,” said Council Member Lee Leffingwell, who is co-sponsoring the resolution on today’s Council agenda. “It is basically the same system we have now in the form of Medicare, just more broadly applied.” The act would guarantee medically-necessary care for everyone. Private insurance companies would still be allowed to sell coverage for procedures not deemed medically necessary.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors has passed a resolution in support of the bill, as have Baltimore, Indianapolis, and Chicago. “Frankly, I’m reluctant to get into national or even state politics,” Council Member Leffingwell said. “But…about 20% of our residents don’t have health insurance, and that puts a very heavy burden on our area hospitals on our network of social service organizations.” Council Members Mike Martinez and Randi Shade are co-sponsoring the resolution on today’s Council agenda.
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