PUBLIC-SUPPORTED HOSPITALS

WHEREAS, fifty public hospitals have closed in the last five years; and

WHEREAS, eight million people below the poverty line have neither private health care insurance nor Medicare or Medicaid coverage nor access to free care through federal facilities; and

WHEREAS, another 37 million Americans, mostly low income workers with little or no health insurance are also denied services because they cannot afford to pay for them; and

WHEREAS, in most hospitals, patients can only be admitted by a private doctor with staff privileges and not even one-half of all doctors accept Medicaid patients; and

WHEREAS, minorities and poor are proportionately less likely to have a private doctor; and

WHEREAS, consumer control is increased in a public facility:

RESOLVED, American Federation of Teachers/Federation of Nurses and Health professionals supports the continuation of publicly owned health care facilities throughout the country in order to meet the needs of all patients. (Executive Council)