City of Philadelphia - File #: 070801

• File #: 070801
• Version: 0
• Type: Resolution
• Status: ADOPTED
• File created: 9/27/2007
• In control: CITY COUNCIL
• Final action: 9/27/2007
• Title: Urging the Mayor to not cut approved and budgeted funds from the City's Public Health Centers.
• Sponsors: Councilmember Tasco, Councilmember Savage, Councilmember Greenlee, Councilmember Kenney, Councilmember Ramos, Councilmember DiCicco, Councilmember Rizzo, Councilmember Goode, Councilmember Krajewski, Councilmember Blackwell, Councilmember Clarke, Council President Verna, Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Councilmember O'Neill, Councilmember Miller, Councilmember Campbell, Councilmember Kelly

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
9/27/2007	0	CITY COUNCIL	ADOPTED
9/27/2007	0	CITY COUNCIL	READ
9/27/2007	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced	Pass

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