Doug Duncan on Fair Share Health Care bill

Urgent message from Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan

Dear Friends:

Yesterday we made great progress in the fight to expand health care coverage in Maryland and ensure that everyone pays their fare share of the health care costs in this State. By an overwhelming margin, the Maryland Senate approved the Fair Share Health Care bill, which says that big businesses need to pay their fair share of the costs associated with providing health care to their employees. The House of Delegates has already approved the bill.

More than 700,000 Marylanders have no health insurance, and many more have limited or inadequate coverage. I am proud to have fought both in my County and at the State level for health care reform and efforts to bring down the high costs of prescription medications.

I was an early supporter of the Fair Share Health Care legislation that passed the Senate yesterday, and have stood shoulder to shoulder with the Maryland Citizens Health Initiative, the Service Employees International Union, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, the faith community, responsible business leaders and others fighting for the bill’s enactment. We have made great progress, but still more needs to be done.

Governor Ehrlich is threatening to veto this bill to increase health care coverage for working men and women in our State. I urge you to contact him immediately at 1-800-811-8336 or email him at governor@gov.state.md.us and ask him to sign the Fair Share Health Care bill. No one should have to choose between their medical care and putting food on the table or paying the rent.

Ask the Governor to stand with hard working Marylanders who are struggling to make ends meet, working paycheck to paycheck and are living just one medical catastrophe away from losing it all. Ask the Governor to sign SB 790/HB 1284, the Fair Share Health Care legislation.

Sincerely,

Douglas M Duncan
County Executive