Drafter
Clerk 01/19/2018
title
A RESOLUTION in support of full access to healthcare, particularly reproductive healthcare, for undocumented and documented immigrants, and affirming the belief that government must serve all residents regardless of ability to pay, county of origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, race or age.
body
WHEREAS, immigrants are a vital and necessary part of our society as U.S. military personnel, police officers, doctors, nurses, caregivers, teachers, and in many other roles contributing to the success of the United States of America and King County to serve our community daily, and
WHEREAS, Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to medical care, and
WHEREAS, King County has reaffirmed its commitment to equity and social justice by recognizing limited access to safe and affordable healthcare for immigrants as a systemic problem affecting primarily people of color, transgender people and people with disabilities, and
WHEREAS, King County owns Harborview Medical Center, whose primary mission is to provide healthcare for the most vulnerable residents of King County, and does so in a number of ways including prioritizing care for those who do not speak English and those who are uninsured or underinsured, and
WHEREAS, nearly half of all immigrants in the United States, including documented immigrants, lack health insurance and are less likely to receive preventative care, care of chronic illness, and gender affirming treatment, and
WHEREAS, people without access to preventative care are more likely to require hospitalization than people with access to preventative health care, and
WHEREAS, federal law does not currently allow funds to be used to provide comprehensive health care coverage to all undocumented immigrants through Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program, the Affordable Care Act or state-level health exchanges except in cases of emergency, and
WHEREAS, Washing...

Click here for full text