WHEREAS, in San Francisco, an estimated 135,000 individuals, or 17 percent of the City’s population, are uninsured; and,
WHEREAS, in 2002 approximately 6.5 million Californians under age 65 lacked health insurance coverage; and,
WHEREAS, more than 80 percent of uninsured Californians are in working families; and,
WHEREAS, the uninsured lack a usual source of care, must navigate a complex, fragmented health care delivery system and when they do seek services, their ailments are often more advanced and more difficult to treat; and,
WHEREAS, in May 1998 the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Committee on Universal Health Care issued recommendations for expanding health care coverage to uninsured San Franciscans that were supported by Resolution #23-98 of the Health Commission; and,
WHEREAS, in November 1998 the voters of the City and County of San Francisco passed Proposition J, which directs the City to assist the uninsured in obtaining affordable health care coverage; and,
WHEREAS, the City and County of San Francisco have taken the following steps to expand health care coverage since the passage of Proposition J: (1) expanded health care coverage to In-Home Support Services (IHSS) workers, (2) expanded health care coverage to all uninsured children in families with incomes under 300 percent of the federal poverty level, and (3) implemented the Health Care Accountability Ordinance; and,
WHEREAS, expanding health care coverage to San Francisco’s uninsured is identified as a strategy for the Department to pursue as part of the approved Strategic Plan; and,
WHEREAS, SB 2 was signed into law in 2003 as a “pay or play” approach to increase access to health employer-based insurance for working Californians and their dependents; and,
WHEREAS, the Health Commission passed Resolution 14-03, which supported SB 2 and other State efforts to increase access to health care coverage for the uninsured; and
WHEREAS, SB 2 is expected to lead to health insurance coverage for approximately 1.1 million Californians, and approximately 21,600 San Franciscans; and,
WHEREAS, Proposition 72 is a referendum that seeks approval from the voters to retain or reject SB 2 before it goes into effect; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Health Commission of the City and County of San Francisco supports the City’s strong commitment to extending health care coverage to the uninsured; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Health Commission supports Proposition 72 to retain SB 2; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, in accordance with the Department’s Strategic Plan, that the Health Commission directs the Director of Health to provide the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor’s Office with the information and support they need to effectively educate and advocate in support of Proposition 72.
I hereby certify that the San Francisco Health Commission at its meeting of September 7, 2004 adopted the foregoing resolution.
Michele M. Olson, Executive Secretary to the Health Commission