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Home My WebLink About06-22-20 South Bend Common Council to Consider Medicare for All Resolution Henry Davis, Jr. 2nd District Council Member ____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 227 W. Jefferson Blvd. Rm. 441 Office: (574) 235-5983 FAX: (574) 235-5575 County-City Building South Bend, IN Voicemail: (574) 235-5983 TDD: (574) 235-5567 46601- 1830 Email:.HDAVIS@SOUTHBENDIN.GOV FROM: COUNCILMEMBER HENRY DAVIS, JR. SUBJECT: South Bend Council to consider Medicare for All DATE: JUNE 22, 2020 CONTACT: Angela Bradbery, abradbery@citizen.org, (202) 503-6768; Mike Oles, mike@ourrevolution.com, (317) 281-0568 Councilmember Henry Davis, Jr., hdavis@southbendin.gov 574-300-5241 South Bend Common Council to Consider Medicare for All Resolution City Could Join Growing List of Localities Demanding Guaranteed Health Care SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The South Bend Common Council today will consider a resolution in support of a nationwide Medicare for All program and the Health Care Emergency Guarantee Act in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. More than 2,500 Indiana residents have died from COVID-19, and nearly 750,000 Hoosiers have lost their jobs since the pandemic began, leaving far too many without health insurance when they need it most. The resolution to be considered by the Common Council today endorses The Health Care Emergency Guarantee Act (H.R. 6906), which would guarantee all residents full coverage for medically necessary health care until an approved COVID-19 vaccine is widely available to the public, as well as the Medicare for All Act of 2019 (H.R. 1384), which would permanently fix our broken health care system by providing full coverage in perpetuity for everyone in the United States, while saving money over our current fragmented, for-profit system. Today’s Common Council consideration of the resolution sends a strong message to Indiana’s congressional delegation that the residents of South Bend are demanding an end to a for-profit health care system that ties health insurance to employment at a time when millions are losing their jobs. The resolution also comes after a study found that Indiana hospitals charge private health insurers triple what they charge Medicare for the same care – the highest in the country. Sponsoring the resolution is councilmember Henry Davis, Jr., with co-sponsors Sharon L. McBride, Sheila Niezgodski, and Lori K. Hamann. “I am more encouraged each day that we can get this done nationally. Everyday we have more and more people who are joining the fight demanding change and action from our elected officials. It is necessary for us to continue to Henry Davis, Jr. 2nd District Council Member ____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 227 W. Jefferson Blvd. Rm. 441 Office: (574) 235-5983 FAX: (574) 235-5575 County-City Building South Bend, IN Voicemail: (574) 235-5983 TDD: (574) 235-5567 46601- 1830 Email:.HDAVIS@SOUTHBENDIN.GOV carry the torch until all Americans are insured. Health care is a right and Medicare for All is the right choice for America.” said Councilman Davis, Jr. Groups that pushed for the resolution include Public Citizen, Our Revolution Michiana, Black Lives Matter South Bend, Northern Indiana Democratic Socialists of America, and Sunrise Movement South Bend. “As local activists, we are proud to support the first Medicare for All resolution in Indiana,” said Noelia Rodríguez, Our Revolution fellow and organizer at Our Revolution Michiana, who worked with the broad local coalition to build support for the resolution. “We believe that no one should have to forgo preventive care, postpone needed medical procedures, or go bankrupt, as a result of our immoral, for-profit health care system that disproportionately burdens people of color and the poor. We call on our members of Congress to act on the bill that will guarantee health care as a right to all.” Other cities, including Detroit, Philadelphia, Seattle, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Knoxville also have passed resolutions in support of Medicare for All. “Momentum is growing for Medicare for All,” said Melinda St. Louis, campaign director for Public Citizen’s Medicare for All campaign. “People across the country are sending a message to Congress that health care should be guaranteed for everyone, and that it’s especially important in a pandemic.” ###