OPPOSITION TO FEDERAL HEALTH CARE BUDGET CUTS

WHEREAS, the Reagan administration is attempting to cut billions of dollars from the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and such cuts would deny vital services and increase the costs of services to many elderly and needy individuals, yet, at the same time, the administration has changed federal regulations to allow payment of Medicare funds to union busting consultants; and

WHEREAS, the Reagan administration is attempting to eliminate federal funds to nurse training, however, there are great shortages of practicing nurses and many nurses will need an opportunity to improve their skills and learn new medical techniques, and substantial cuts have already been made in nurse training programs; and

WHEREAS, the Reagan administration is attempting to eliminate federal funds for health planning, but federally assisted health planning agencies have demonstrated their effectiveness in reducing unnecessary and costly duplication of health services, and we are living in a period of rapidly increasing health care costs; and

WHEREAS, the Reagan administration is attempting to eliminate federal funds for Health Maintenance Organizations, even though HMOs have proven to be a valuable and cost-effective means of delivering health care services; and

WHEREAS, the Reagan administration is attempting to make substantial and damaging cuts in numerous other federal health care programs-this being done to provide massive tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy while also balancing the federal budget:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers/Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals opposes the Reagan administration's effort to systematically eliminate much of the federal government's role in health care services delivery and will fight to restore funding for federal health care programs.