Greetings,

The Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Baucus, has released a "framework" for health care reform. The Finance Committee is expected to mark up this proposal during the week of September 21.

It's important that members of the Finance Committee hear our concerns about this proposed "framework" as soon as possible. You can contact senators with this toll-free number: 866-960-0611.

The "framework" contains a number of serious problems that would undermine genuine health care reform. Accordingly, CWA, UAW and the rest of the labor movement and a broad coalition of progressive organizations are strongly urging the Finance Committee to make significant improvements in this "framework." In particular, we are urging the Committee to:

-eliminate the excise tax on health care plans that would unfairly penalize plans with more older workers and retirees, and force these plans to scale back benefits and increase premiums and copays for their participants;

-strengthen the employer responsibility provisions to ensure there is a level playing field that requires all companies to contribute to the cost of health care for their employees; and

-include provisions that will encourage employers and VEBAs to continue health insurance coverage for early retirees.

Please immediately contact the following Democratic Senators on the Finance Committee:

Urge them to insist on these three vital improvements to the proposal put forward by Chairman Baucus. Tell them that genuine health care reform should not undermine good health insurance coverage by imposing discriminatory taxes on health care plans. Furthermore, it should require all employers to pay their fair share, and encourage them to continue providing coverage for early retirees.

Again, you can use the following toll-free number to call these senators: 866-960-0611.

Thanks in advance for your efforts on this critically important issue.