HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/17/2020 Item 18, Barnes
Purrington, Teresa
From:chrys barnes <chrysb52@hotmail.com>
Sent:Monday, November 16, 2020 12:29 AM
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Vote Today to Support the Medicare for All Act of 2019
Dear Mayor Harmon and Honorable Members of the SLO City Council,
I am following up on my letter to the Council in October, writing once again to voice my support of the Medicare for All
Act of 2019. I would like the City Council to hear a resolution of support of this legislation.
Medicare for All would provide relief for hundreds of San Luis Obispo residents at a time when COVID and
income loss have depleted household budgets.
From a social justice perspective, Universal healthcare is the clear remedy to address unequal access to
healthcare among POC, the poor, the mentally ill and other under-served groups. Similarly, essential workers,
who work in close quarters with others, often lack employer provided health insurance. In the era of COVID,
Medicare for All, which covers all classifications of workers, is a community safety issue.
Workers who can’t afford to lose their jobs are afraid even to get tested for COVID. Think about that! This is
exactly why healthcare must be disentangled from employment.
The City of SLO and the whole Central Coast suffer from lack of competition among private healthcare
providers. We’ve been described as a healthcare desert. Dignity and Tenet Health hold all the cards and the
rest of us pay the price. This reality costs lives and livelihoods. Medicare for All is a less costly, more efficient
way to provide medical care.
At this historic moment, it’s important for the Council to consider a resolution of support on Tues. Nov. 17. It’s
important to be part of the solution. Covering everybody -- rather than letting those who have the fewest
options “fend for themselves” -- improves the health of the entire community. NOT covering everybody
simply creates chaos without solving any problems.
Change is on the horizon. Now is the time for the City of SLO to go on record declaring our willingness to
commit to a medical infrastructure that serves all citizens and puts people above profits. Please support the
Medicare for All Act of 2019.
Sincerely,
Chrys Barnes
San Luis Obispo resident since 1979
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