HR 23 - AS INTRODUCED
2024 SESSION
24-2628
05/02
HOUSE RESOLUTION 23
A RESOLUTION calling upon the New Hampshire congressional delegation to support a national, universal health insurance program.
SPONSORS: Rep. LaMontagne, Straf. 17; Rep. Howland, Straf. 20; Rep. Conlin, Straf. 15
COMMITTEE: State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs
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ANALYSIS
This resolution calls upon the New Hampshire congressional delegation to support a national, universal health insurance program.
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24-2628
05/02
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four
A RESOLUTION calling upon the New Hampshire congressional delegation to support a national, universal health insurance program.
Whereas, the New Hampshire house of representatives believes the country needs to move toward universal health care by expanding participation in a single-payer system, such as Medicare, that is affordable and readily accessible; and
Whereas, current costs of health care are unaffordable and unsustainable in our state and in our country, and such services, including primary and preventive care, prescription drugs, emergency services, behavioral health services, dental and visual care, and long term care are essential for the health of our citizenry, and
Whereas, private insurance premiums are unaffordable for most and the absence of a national, universal health insurance, contributes to citizens being uninsured and underinsured resulting in delayed care for chronic medical conditions, and the underuse of addiction treatment and mental health care, problems that have reduced US life expectancy in recent years, and
Whereas, the duration and quality of life for the citizens of New Hampshire will improve if all can access primary care instead of waiting until a medical emergency; that such emergencies disrupt lives and burden first responders and hospitals, who in turn pass costs of emergency care for the uninsured on to the rest of us, and
Whereas, fellow New Hampshire citizens have experienced bankruptcy due to medical bills even when they have insurance, unheard of in any other developed nation, and
Whereas, having affordable health insurance that is independent of one’s job, will allow all people to pursue happiness in the job that they love, not just the job with health benefits; that will encourage entrepreneurs to start businesses; that will relieve small businesses of the onus of providing private health insurance; that Universal Health Insurance will help New Hampshire and other businesses in the United States better compete in the global economy, and
Whereas, a national, universal health insurance will eliminate the need for poverty-only government health insurance such as Medicaid that entails enormous administrative costs for state governments, and stigmatizes participants, and
Whereas, the state of New Hampshire and the municipalities in our state currently spend millions of dollars a year for private health insurance for their employees, a cost that keeps rising every year, putting a strain on resources that could be better spent in addressing other needs in our own communities and state, and
Whereas, as small state like New Hampshire cannot provide universal health insurance on our own, and
Whereas, we believe a sustainable, cost-effective approach is to have one risk pool, combining the healthy, working adults, and the high risk pool of the elderly, people with disabilities, and the poorest among us, like almost every other country in the world, and the latter group being the one our government alone insures now; and because our current two-pool system is not sustainable and not affordable; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives:
That the New Hampshire legislature calls on our federal congressional Delegation, to pursue and pass legislation for a national, universal health insurance program; and
That the clerk of the New Hampshire house of representatives is directed to prepare copies of this memorial and transmit them to the President of the United States, the President and the Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker and the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, and New Hampshire's congressional delegation.