Universal Healthcare in the USA

Single payer health insurance is standard in most of the developed world.

The United States, its companies and its workers cannot compete against nations where health care is standard infrastructure.

Whereas: The escalating costs of health insurance and health care are creating unprecedented strains on our economy;
Whereas: our businesses function in a global economy where healthcare is provided as infrastructure for the competition;
Whereas: there are presently 45 million uninsured Americans;
Whereas: healthcare costs are a leading cause of corporate and personal bankruptcies; and

Whereas: our spending on Medicare and Medicaid alone exceeds per capita spending for universal coverage in other developed countries;
Whereas: the federal, state and local governments of the United States already spend 45% of all healthcare dollars;
Whereas: healthcare costs continue to grow at a rate in excess of three times the Consumer Price Index, growth which cannot be sustained.

We, the undersigned, do hereby petition the Congress of the United States to establish a system of Universal Healthcare for all Americans.

Such a system would embody the following features:
(a) Care and coverage universally available for all;
(b) Freedom to choose service provider;
(c) Single-payer insurance similar to other developed nations.