a single payer system is one in which the payment of doctors, hospitals and other health care providers, public and private, is from a single fund, administered by the government and not by for-profit entities, while providing universal health care to an entire population, and

the Democratic Party of Linn County values the creation of an affordable, accessible and comprehensive health care system that is available to every Oregonian and includes preventive and mental healthcare, and

the State of Oregon faces a health care crisis with over 650,000 Oregonians without health insurance, which number is increasing as more jobs are lost statewide; and with half of those with insurance being under-insured, and

the State of Oregon has been a national leader with its Oregon Health Plan envisioned by our former governor, Dr. John Kitzhaber (1995-2003, D), and

a majority of the American public and a majority of the country’s physicians believe that a single payer system offers the best and most affordable method of securing healthcare, and

the United States spends more per person for healthcare than any other industrialized country; yet Americans have shorter life spans, higher infant mortality, and epidemic bankruptcy as a result of medical costs, and

many countries have single-payer systems that provide excellent service to their populations, and

single payer healthcare has been unanimously endorsed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, over 500 labor unions, various medical associations, and many non-profit and faith based organizations,

The Linn County Democratic Party urges the United States Congress to pass a single-payer Medicare-for-all program which will provide quality, comprehensive, cost-effective health care for all Americans.