Kalamazoo, MI – The Kalamazoo County community last night applauded the Kalamazoo County Commission for approving a resolution calling for our federal Congressional delegation to support passage of the Medicare for All Act of 2019. The resolution calls for passage of the Medicare for All Act of 2019, which would guarantee comprehensive health care coverage for all Americans and would eliminate co-pays, deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs that are keeping needed health care out of reach for residents of Kalamazoo County.
Local governments often deal most directly with the consequences of our unaffordable and inequitable health insurance system. Approximately $500 billion a year goes to profit and the system of processing and denying coverage. Our currently privatized healthcare coverage that is tied to employment, creates the high costs to businesses and municipalities that provide and/ or desire to provide healthcare benefits. This in combination with a legacy of racism and white supremacy, leaves many uninsured and underinsured, disproportionately affecting people of color and leads to poorer health outcomes. The Kalamazoo County resolution is one of many that has been passed in 2020.
The effort is being organized by Michigan for Single Payer Healthcare and Southwest Michigan Democratic Socialists of America in coalition with other local and national organizations. Bill Farmer, an organizer with the Southwest Michigan Democratic Socialist of America, states, “This resolution supports the Commission’s stand that racism is a public health crisis and demands action. Racial justice organizations have endorsed this legislation and understand that single-payer healthcare is fundamental to health justice.”
Commissioner Stephanie Moore, co-sponsor of the Medicare for All Resolution, said, “ I think this is in line with us … delivering equity across the board for all of our residents. When we’re talking about economic development, education, when we talk about environmental issues, we want to make sure that every resident in our community has access to health care, health coverage, so they can have a better … health outcomes.”
Commissioner Mike Quinn, another co-sponsor, said “This pandemic should make everyone aware of the problems of our existing for-profit health insurance system: tens of millions of people uninsured or underinsured while we pay the highest prices for health care on the planet. This is why I support this Resolution, we need the Medicare For All Act Of 2019 to become law as soon as possible!” Kalamazoo County has joined a growing movement in which city, town councils and county commissions across the United States are calling for Congress to pass Medicare-for-All. Information about Medicare-for-All and the growing demand for Congress to pass Medicare For All can be found at www.facebook.com/SWMIDSA, medicare4allresolutions.org and medicare4all.org.