Resolution in Support of Health Care for Workers During the Coronavirus Pandemic

April 16, 2020

WHEREAS the COVID 19 pandemic is both an economic crisis and a health care crisis of a lifetime in King County, the United States, and around the world, and 

WHEREAS millions of workers in the United States, among them, tens of thousands in King County, have become unemployed through no fault of their own, and 

WHEREAS millions of workers who depend on their jobs for coverage are starting to lose their employer-provided health insurance and will continue to do so during a global pandemic, and

WHEREAS unemployed workers now face a choice between insurmountable premiums to pay for their COBRA health insurance payments or becoming uninsured, and 

WHEREAS the health care exchanges offer high deductible plans that make treatment cost-prohibitive, and

WHEREAS the most recent coronavirus stimulus bill allocates billions to bail out affected employers and industries but includes nothing requiring them to extend health care coverage for their laid-off employees, now be it therefore

RESOLVED that employers who are bailed out with taxpayer money must be obligated to keep workers on the payroll and continue to provide health insurance, and be it further

RESOLVED that the federal government provide assistance covering 100% of COBRA health insurance premiums for those workers unemployed and unable to pay their premiums, and be it further 

RESOLVED that we need a bailout of workers in the United States, not merely a bailout of American corporations, and be it finally

RESOLVED that this resolution shall be distributed to members of Congress who represent King County.