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nl~ BUNK 1 PAGE tat RESOLUTION SUPPORTING HOUSE BILL 1396 AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF NORTH CAROLINA TO RECOGNIZE HEALTH CARE AS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF ALL RESIDENTS WHEREAS, House Bill 1396 was introduced into the General Assembly: of North Carolina, Session 1999-2000, to amend the constitution of North Carolina, as follows: See. 38, Health Care (1) Basic Right. Health care is an essential safeguard of human life, and there is an obligation for the state to ensure that every resident is able to obtain this fundamental right. No later than May 31, 2004, the General Assembly shall provide by law a plan that enables every resident of the State to obtain appropriate health care on a regular basis. (2) No money damages: other enforcement. Nothing in this section shall be construed as creating a claim for monetary damages against the State, a county, a municipality, or any of the agencies, instrumentalities, or employees thereof. The General Assembly may provide for other remedies to ensure adequate enforcement of this section. WHEREAS, 15% of North Carolinas population, or over a million people, are without health insurance and this number has increased 57% over the last seven years which is a growth rate two to three times greater than the national average; and, WHEREAS, 74% of uninsured adults in North Carolina are employed, and the majority of these lack coverage because their employer does not offer a health benefit or, if they do, it is too costly; and, WHEREAS, research has demonstrated that the uninsured, even those who are sick, chronically ill, or have special health care needs, get less health care than those who have insurance and are more likely to delay getting the care they need and less likely to use preventative services; and WHEREAS, Medicare does not currently cover prescription medications and the average out-of-pocket spending for health care of a typical elderly person is 23% of their income; and, WHEREAS, 30% of those financially eligible for Medicaid are not covered because of other restrictions; and, WHEREAS, the United States is the only industrialized nation in the world that does not provide health care for all its citizens; and,