City of Madison - File #: 04927

• File #: 04927
• Version: 1
• Name: -Calling upon the Wisconsin Legislature and U.S. Congress to reduce health care costs and guarantee univeral, affordable heatl care coverage by 2008.
• Type: Resolution
• Status: Passed
• File created: 11/7/2006
• In control: COMMON COUNCIL
• On agenda: 11/21/2006
• Final action: 11/21/2006
• Enactment date: 11/22/2006
• Enactment #: RES-06-00997
• Title: Calling upon the Wisconsin Legislature and the U.S. Congress to establish a plan that will reduce health care costs by at least 15% and guarantee access to universal, affordable, quality health care coverage for all Wisconsin residents and families and all American residents and families, respectively, by 2008.
• Sponsors: Austin W. King, Brenda K. Konkel

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
11/21/2006	1	COMMON COUNCIL	Adopt	Pass
11/7/2006	1	Council Office	Fiscal Note Required / Approval
11/7/2006	1	Finance Dept/Approval Group	Approved Fiscal Note By The Comptroller's Office
11/7/2006	1	Council Office	Referred for Introduction
11/7/2006	1	COMMON COUNCIL	Refer to a future Meeting to Adopt	Pass

Fiscal Note
No expenditure required.
Title
Calling upon the Wisconsin Legislature and the U.S. Congress to establish a plan that will reduce health care costs by at least 15% and guarantee access to universal, affordable, quality health care coverage for all Wisconsin residents and families and all American residents and families, respectively, by 2008.
Body
WHEREAS, escalating health insurance costs pose tremendous hardships for Wisconsin residents, businesses, and local units of government; and

WHEREAS, the skyrocketing costs of health insurance have created a health care crisis in Wisconsin where nearly 500,000 state residents (including more than 90,000 children) are uninsured; and

WHEREAS, the soaring costs of health insurance stifle business expansion and job creation throughout the state and heavily burden individual citizens with high costs and the overwhelming fear of the consequences of losing health insurance coverage; and

WHEREAS, according to a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) study, Wisconsin health insurance costs are a staggering 1/3 higher than even the rapidly rising national average; and

WHEREAS, the GAO study demonstrates clearly that these skyrocketing health care costs are a result of changes in the health insurance market which are beyond the control of local government; and

WHEREAS, despite the steep escalation in health insurance costs and the devastating negative consequences faced by Wisconsin residents lacking health insurance, the State Legislature, which does have the power to remedy this situation, has instead completely abdicated its responsibility and has failed to seriously consider comprehensive health care reform or take immediate and bold action to ensure that all Wisconsin residents have access to quality, affordable health care; and

WHEREAS, Congress has similarly abdicated its responsibility to address the health care crisis and has failed to take action to enact comprehensive, mea...