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Hi John,
We are calling on the New Orleans City Council to support the Medicare for All Act of 2019 or Health Care Emergency Guarantee Act to meet the immediate need for full health care coverage with no out-of-pocket expenses. Public health is a social good, like clean air or fresh water. In this time of crisis it is clear that we are only as safe and healthy as our neighbors, coworkers, teachers, bus drivers, grocery workers, servers, and bartenders. We need federal legislation that will keep our neighbors safe and protect them from surprise medical bills and debt.
Take action - sign the petition!
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Massive job loss has led to a massive decrease in workers with health insurance and workers’ ability to pay for health care. Over 40,000 New Orleanians were uninsured before COVID-19 shut down our city. Roughly 50% of New Orleanians received their health insurance from their jobs. Over 50% of New Orleanian households do not have enough savings to survive at a poverty level for 3 months. With 100,000 hospitality workers of work and struggling to make ends meet, we cannot force workers to choose between feeding their families and seeking health care that could put them into devastating debt.
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Health care is a racial justice issue. New Orleans has been hit brutally hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the illness and death has not hit communities equally. 70% of COVID-19 deaths have been Black Louisianans. Racial health disparities like this are not new, but they are made worse during a public health crisis. Black New Orleanians are more likely to be discriminated against when seeking health care and have health factors that put them at increased risk of COVID-19 as a result of food deserts, environmental racism, and the legacy of redlining. New Orleans is a majority Black city but Black New Orleanians earn about ⅓ of what white households earn on average. We must end financial barriers that can keep New Orleanians from seeking care.
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Mental health is health care. The last few months have taken a huge toll on our collective mental health. Isolation and social & economic uncertainty have caused sadness and anxiety. Many families are left with the grief of losing one or several loved ones. This stress leads to increasing rates of anxiety, depression, and even suicide. Decreased access to mental health care and forced isolation make the situation even worse. Many healthcare workers will suffer from burnout and PTSD. We need universal, comprehensive health care coverage so that there are no cost barriers to prevent people from getting the mental health care they need.
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