May 04, 2005
(Washington, DC) – Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) called for health coverage for all Americans and announced that she is co-sponsoring three bills being aimed at reducing the number of America’s uninsured by more than half.
“This week is ‘Cover the Uninsured Week,’ and there are almost 6.5 million people in California without health insurance, 300,000 more than when President Bush took office,” said Lee. “Almost all of these individuals live in a household with at least one worker. This is wrong and we need to act.”
Lee, who has long been a leading voice in the fight to make access to healthcare universal, said that she plans to reintroduce the United States Universal Health Service Act. The measure, which would establish a United States Health Service (USHS) and provide health coverage for all Americans, was first introduced in 1978 by her predecessor, Rep. Ron Dellums, and has been a priority for Lee since her election in 1998.
“All Americans should have access to quality healthcare, and as we continue to fight for universal coverage, we must take steps to reduce the number of the uninsured,” said Lee. “The three bills I am co-sponsoring are targeted to build on programs that already work and ensure that three fast-growing segments of the uninsured have access to affordable health coverage: the nearly-elderly, low-income working parents, and small business employees.”
Lee noted that the three bills she is cosponsoring each target an important group. The Small Business Health Insurance Promotion Act would create a 50 percent tax credit to help small businesses and the self-employed with the costs of health coverage. Currently, over half of America’s uninsured workers are self-employed or work for a small business with fewer than 50 employees. The FamilyCare Act would lower costs and expand affordable coverage for working parents, by making the parents of children eligible for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medicaid also eligible for coverage. These working parents frequently work at jobs that do not provide access to employer-based insurance. And the Medicare Early Access Act would allow people between the ages 55 and 64 to purchase Medicare. Currently, there are 3.5 million uninsured people age 55 and over who are not yet eligible for Medicare. Together, these bills could cover over 23 million uninsured Americans.
“Millions of working, uninsured Americans go to bed every night worrying what will happen to them and their families if a major illness or injury strikes,” said Lee. “This is a national scandal. I will fight this year to try to ensure that Congress moves forward on this legislation – so that quality health coverage becomes available to millions more Americans while we continue the fight to make it available to all Americans. It should be our highest priority.”
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Barbara Lee Calls for Universal Health Coverage
Co-Sponsors Bills to Reduce the Number of America’s Uninsured
(Washington, DC) – Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) called for health coverage for all Americans and announced that she is co-sponsoring three bills being aimed at reducing the number of America’s uninsured by more than half.
“This week is ‘Cover the Uninsured Week,’ and there are almost 6.5 million people in California without health insurance, 300,000 more than when President Bush took office,” said Lee. “Almost all of these individuals live in a household with at least one worker. This is wrong and we need to act.”
Lee, who has long been a leading voice in the fight to make access to healthcare universal, said that she plans to reintroduce the United States Universal Health Service Act. The measure, which would establish a United States Health Service (USHS) and provide health coverage for all Americans, was first introduced in 1978 by her predecessor, Rep. Ron Dellums, and has been a priority for Lee since her election in 1998.
“All Americans should have access to quality healthcare, and as we continue to fight for universal coverage, we must take steps to reduce the number of the uninsured,” said Lee. “The three bills I am co-sponsoring are targeted to build on programs that already work and ensure that three fast-growing segments of the uninsured have access to affordable health coverage: the nearly-elderly, low-income working parents, and small business employees.”
Lee noted that the three bills she is cosponsoring each target an important group. The Small Business Health Insurance Promotion Act would create a 50 percent tax credit to help small businesses and the self-employed with the costs of health coverage. Currently, over half of America’s uninsured workers are self-employed or work for a small business with fewer than 50 employees. The FamilyCare Act would lower costs and expand affordable coverage for working parents, by making the parents of children eligible for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medicaid also eligible for coverage. These working parents frequently work at jobs that do not provide access to employer-based insurance. And the Medicare Early Access Act would allow people between the ages 55 and 64 to purchase Medicare. Currently, there are 3.5 million uninsured people age 55 and over who are not yet eligible for Medicare. Together, these bills could cover over 23 million uninsured Americans.
“Millions of working, uninsured Americans go to bed every night worrying what will happen to them and their families if a major illness or injury strikes,” said Lee. “This is a national scandal. I will fight this year to try to ensure that Congress moves forward on this legislation – so that quality health coverage becomes available to millions more Americans while we continue the fight to make it available to all Americans. It should be our highest priority.”
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