Values & Principles

Universal accessibility to health care is fundamental to the well-being and security of both individuals and communities and should be regarded as a human right to be provided to every individual as a matter of public policy and law.

The adoption by a community of a universal, not-for-profit, single-payer healthcare system creates a social responsibility that must be shared by that community and its citizens.

A universal, not-for-profit, single-payer healthcare system must be comprehensive, accessible and affordable. It is designed to reduce administrative overhead and provide an unrestricted choice of providers without changing the ownership status of existing providers.

Defined benefits must be established by an independent, fair and transparent process that involves a broad spectrum of citizens. These benefits must be portable, independent of health, employment and income status, and guaranteed across the life span.

Uniform standards must be established for lifespan core benefits e.g. wellness, preventive, oral, mental/behavioral, primary, specialty, end-of-life, and chronic disease management.

Administration of the plan must be in compliance with the following guiding principles:

• Identification and evaluation of effectiveness based on evidence-based science and/or expert consensus.
• Resource allocation guided by a public health perspective.
• Individualized care that is culturally respectful and appropriate to linguistic ability and literacy level.
• Integrated care to improve outcomes, decrease medical errors, and strengthen the health care delivery system.

Services and treatment beyond the core benefit package may be covered by commercial insurance or purchased.

Development of the draft plan will involve a public process of open meetings and hearings.

July 2006