HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/6/2020 Public Comment, Craig
Wilbanks, Megan
From:Wendi Craig <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Resolution for Medicare for All Act
October 6, 2020
Dear San Luis Obispo City Council Members,
I am writing to encourage you to vote in favor of the resolution to support the proposed legislation, Medicare for
All Act of 2019, as it is being presented to the City Council.
Our nation, state and community are facing multiple crises: Covid 19 pandemic; Unequal and unfair treatment
of medical conditions depending on one's economic position, race, ethnicity or gender; Unrestricted and
obscene increases in medical costs that go to profits for private companies and shareholders, rather than to
improved medical services; An ever widening gap between the haves and havenots, which precludes millions
from the opportunity of ever reaching the “American Dream”.
Medicare For All would do much to address every one of these crises.
First, if employment was no longer tied to medical care, employers could afford to pay their employees a truly
living wage (roughly $21 for workers to make what workers made on minimum wage in the 70s. This would
allow people to again begin saving for college, a home, and/or training that would allow them to better their
positions.
Second, as an example of the economic impact, San Luis Obispo's municipal budget is strained in part by the
rising cost of health insurance for its employees. The Medicare for All Act would reduce double-digit increases
in health insurance premiums to something much closer to the general rate of inflation.
Third, as our nation and community struggle with increasing threats to our diverse population, Medicare for All
is what it says - for ALL Americans. No discussion, no decision making, no descrimination.
Finally, a huge part of why our nation is one of the leading nations for Covid infections and deaths is because
of the work related difficulty millions of people have in meeting the guidelines for keeping oneself and family
safe. In addition when vaccines do come available, the cost of them may be so high as to limit their availability
to all and we would be unable to build “herd immunity”. Nations where healthcare is universal eliminate these
disparities.
Thank you,
Wendi Craig
1