Urging the Mayor to not cut approved and budgeted funds from the City's Public Health Centers.

WHEREAS, An estimated 136,000 Philadelphians are uninsured and unable to afford access to decent health care on a regular basis; and

WHEREAS, On November 4, 2003, the citizens of the City of Philadelphia approved by a vote of 149,558 to 49,754, an amendment to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter declaring that health care is an essential safeguard of human life and dignity, and that there is an obligation for the City of Philadelphia to ensure that every resident is able to realize this fundamental right; and

WHEREAS, This amendment to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter requires the Health Department to prepare a plan for universal health care coverage that permits everyone in the City of Philadelphia to obtain decent health care on a regular basis; and

WHEREAS, Is a part of this universal health care coverage plan, an assessment was made of the City’s current health care system with regard to access and coverage; and

WHEREAS, Philadelphians served by City health centers must wait a week for prescriptions to be filled and approximately six months for initial examinations that are further delayed by a four hour wait on the day of the scheduled appointment; and

WHEREAS, In recognition of this access to health care crisis, City Council allocated over $1 million dollars in the FY 2007 budget to hire more staff at City health centers to reduce this delay in service and enhance the health care of the citizens of Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS, Although these funds were included in the approved FY 2007 budget, which was signed into law by the Mayor, the Administration has failed to spend these approved budget dollars on new, permanent health care center staff; and

WHEREAS, City Council, in further recognition of the City’s access to health care crisis, allocated approximately $2.1 million dollars in the FY 2008 budget to the health centers to address staffing shortfalls, delays in service, and other critical needs; and

WHEREAS, Although these funds were also included in the approved FY 2008 budget, which was signed into law, the Mayor has stated that these funds will not be spent and the Administration’s failure to spend these approved and budgeted dollars will cause a loss of 67% in matching funds from federal and private health care fund sources; now therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the Council urges the Mayor to not cut approved and budgeted funds from the City’s public health centers and to spend the approved $2.1 million dollars in the FY 2008 budget for new, permanent staff and other budgeted expenses at the centers.

End