Healthcare Reform Moves in the Senate

Subject:

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

As the Senate considers comprehensive healthcare reform, I am writing to urge you to craft a plan that will guarantee high-quality and affordable healthcare for all.

Healthcare reform is a crucial ingredient in strengthening this country. Rising healthcare costs put a tremendous strain on families, businesses, state governments and the federal budget. By working together to enact fair reform, we can create a better healthcare system that truly serves all Americans, making us healthier both physically and economically.

Please consider these points as you work to develop the Senate healthcare plan:

* The final Senate healthcare reform bill must not include taxation of benefits. Individuals already are struggling to pay for the rising costs of healthcare. We should not force working people to pay more for the insurance they already have in the form of increased taxes on health benefits.

* The final Senate bill must provide affordable coverage for all Americans. Steps must be taken to make healthcare coverage more affordable for uninsured Americans. Estimates in the Senate Finance bill show that a family earning $67,000 could be forced to pay an annual premium of $8,700. This is simply out of reach for many families.

* The final Senate bill must encourage employers to maintain a high-quality health plan or pay a fee that would be used to help subsidize the cost of their employees' healthcare insurance. Currently, employer coverage provides insurance for more than 160 million Americans. The final legislation should require large employers to pay their fair share by providing insurance for their employees or paying a significant fee if they don't. The $400-per-worker fee in the Senate Finance bill is totally inadequate to assure that employers continue their health insurance plans.

* The final Senate bill must include a robust national public plan. The option for a national public insurance plan is the best way to hold insurance companies accountable. It would drive down insurance costs by introducing more competition into the marketplace.

* The final Senate bill should not shift new Medicaid costs to the states. Under the Senate Finance bill, significant costs caused by the expansion of Medicaid would be shifted to the states at a time when they can least afford it. We support the House proposal that provides greater assistance to states as they incur this new expense.

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