Reps. Vagnozzi, Accavitti, Bieda, Brandenburg, Brown, Cheeks, Clack, Constan, Coulouris, Cushingberry, Dean, Donigan, Espinoza, Farrah, Gonzales, Hammel, Hammon, Hopgood, Robert Jones, Kathleen Law, Lemmons, Lindberg, Marleau, Mayes, McDowell, Meadows, Meisner, Miller, Polidori, Sak, Sheltrown, Alma Smith, Tobocman and Warren offered the following concurrent resolution:

            House Concurrent Resolution No. 22

            A concurrent resolution to express the commitment of the Michigan Legislature to the development of a health care system that provides comprehensive coverage to all residents.

            Whereas, Article IV, Section 51 of our state constitution declares that health care is a primary concern. Moreover, statutory law requires the state to prepare a state health plan that includes "mechanisms to promote adequate access to health care for all segments of the state's population."

(MCL 325.2010(2) (a)); and

            Whereas, In part, because of fragmentation in health care delivery and financing, health care costs have risen at rates well above wage increases and inflation.  All competing, manufacturing countries provide health care to everyone as a shared responsibility of the whole society instead of as a benefit of employment; and

            Whereas, We believe access to health care is a human right.  Michigan needs a system that controls costs while providing high quality, comprehensive care.  More than 1 million Michigan residents are still uninsured and thousands more are underinsured or are losing coverage; and

            Whereas, Governor Granholm is committed to improving the stewardship of Michigan health care dollars to secure more affordable health care, and she is also working to assure the quality and accessibility of health care, including offering coverage for all the uninsured; and

            Whereas, Democratic and Republican legislators also are working to secure more affordable, quality, and accessible health care, including supporting the goal of health care coverage for all in the state of Michigan but also avoiding cost-shifting to those employers, individuals, and taxpayers already paying for health insurance; and

            Whereas, The newly formed Michigan Health Insurance Access Advisory Council is working on a nonpartisan basis to develop an objective study of the costs of the current health care system as a basis for considering how the members of the council can work with Republicans and Democratic officials toward the goal of offering health care coverage for all residents of the state; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That we in the Michigan Legislature commit to the design and enactment of legislation for a health care system based on the principles of shared responsibility and good stewardship; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Senate Majority Leader as an expression of our shared responsibility and good stewardship.