Unified Action – February 2007 – Support the Health Security Act
Tell the Governor to Support the Health Security Act
Sponsored by:
Vicki Simons, vrsimons@comcast.net
Cathilia Flores, cathilia@gmail.com
The Issue
The federal government has not solved our increasing health care crisis. Congress is currently looking to states to develop innovative solutions. The Health Security for New Mexicans Campaign has worked to develop a simple, bottom-up solution.
Let’s set up our own cooperative-like health care plan for New Mexico with freedom of choice of provider throughout the state and across state lines and great benefits no less than the state employees’ very comprehensive package. It will be administered by an
independent, geographically representative, and publicly accountable commission (not a government agency) and funded by existing health care dollars (portions of Medicaid and Medicare), income-based individual premiums, and employer contributions on a sliding scale (both with caps).
The Health Security Act ensures coverage for all New Mexicans and preserves the private delivery system by coordinating our precious health care dollars and shifting the role of the private insurance industry to supplementary.
Patchwork and band-aid solutions have been implemented hastily in our state and thousands have suffered for it. The Health Security Act outlines a comprehensive health coverage plan as well as a cautious, three-year process of implementing it. It will be introduced into the 2007 New Mexico Legislature by Senator Carlos Cisneros.
The Problem
Governor Richardson has publicly stated he will not support a model which does not integrally involve the private insurance inducstry. However, he also recently announced he wants coverage for all New Mexicans and his task force has made Health Security their overwhelmingly #1 choice of models to study.
In the United States, the solutions fall into two categories: 1) continue to pump public tax dollars into a failed private insurance system, or 2) create something new.
The Action
On February 1 and 2 call Governor Richardson at 505-476-2200 or send him an e-mail (via his Web form) and tell him now is the time to take a new course to solve New Mexico’s health care crisis. Tell him to support the Health Security Act—the solution developed by New Mexicans for New Mexico.
Tell friends and family around the state to do the same.
If you live in one of the following counties or municipalities, tell the governor your local government has endorsed the Health Security Act: Bernalillo, Cibola, Doña Ana, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, Otero, Sandoval, Taos, Valencia, Alququerque, Corrales, Deming, Grants, Hatch, Las Cruces, Las Vegas, Mesilla, Pecos, Rio Rancho, and Silver City.