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Greetings, The AFL-CIO National Worksite Sticker and Phone Your Senator Day is on Thursday, November 5th See Your Update on Health Care Reform, New Talking Points & Call the State Fed Today to see how you might get a sticker! Just call Andy at 785-224-7298. Update on Health
Care Reform in Congress Tuesday, 10.20.09 IN CONGRESS Senate Leaders resumed
meeting on Monday evening to continue their work merging the
Senate Labor and Finance Committee bills. Over the weekend,
various Administration officials appeared on television news
shows to reiterate that President Obama will continue to push
the public insurance option, though they stopped short of saying
that not having a public option would be a deal breaker.
On Monday, Finance Chairman
Baucus said that “the public option is alive, we’re
just not sure which type.” He went on to suggest that numerous versions
are in play, among them the "Medicare light [the robust public
option], even playing field [proposed by Sen. Chuck Schumer
(D-NY)], there's co-ops--that's private, not public--there's opt
in, opt out," Baucus said. “It's alive," Baucus continued,
"We're trying to see what makes the most
sense." Also on the Sunday talk
shows, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel gave a
half-hearted defense of the premium tax, saying it would help
bring “downward pressure on overall premium
increases;” even though in a meeting with labor
representatives last week the Congressional Joint Tax Committee
could not confirm that the tax would lower overall health care
expenditures.
Emanuel was quick to follow up his defense of the tax
with a statement that the White House wanted to “protect
working families.” Senators Reid, Baucus and
Dodd are expected to continue meeting all this week to get the
merged bill ready for the Senate floor. But even after they
finish their work, it will take the Congressional Budget Office
at least a week to provide a budget score. The earliest the full
Senate could take up health care reform would be the first week
of November. Meanwhile, House Leaders are
waiting for a CBO score of the proposal they would like to take
to the floor; it is almost certain to contain a strong public
insurance option, an employer mandate and no tax on insurance
premiums. The House
is also expected to take the bill up during the first week of
November. New poll: Public Insurance Option More Important than
Bipartisanship In a major new Washington Post poll – one of
the few that has explains winning over GOP support has actual
policy consequences for the final bill that they might not
like – a majority prefers a Dem-only bill rather than a bipartisan one if
the Dem-only one includes a public insurance option and the
bipartisan one doesn’t. A majority of Independents wants
the same. Which of these would you prefer –- (a plan that
includes some form of government-sponsored health insurance for
people who can’t get affordable private insurance, but is
approved without support from Republicans in Congress); or
(a plan that is approved with support from Republicans in
Congress, but does not include any form of government-sponsored
health insurance for people who can’t get affordable
private insurance)? Prefer government-sponsored insurance: 51% overall and
52% of independents Prefer Republican support: 37% --------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Talking Points for Health Care
10-15-09 A public
health insurance plan option is essential to
reform.
A
robust public option is needed to lower premiums through
competition and break the stranglehold insurance companies have
over the current system.
Health
care reform has to ease the cost burden on individuals and
families, not worsen it. Americans whose health care premium costs
have gone up 300 percent—while insurance company profits
have gone up 1,000 percent—should not be asked to pay
money we do not have. Employer
Mandate - employers have to pay a fair share of
costs. The only
fair way to cover the cost of care for all is to include an
employer responsibility provision that requires all employers to
provide health coverage or contribute a truly meaningful sum to
help pay for subsidies.
Health
care can’t be paid for by a new tax on middle class
benefits. The Senate
Finance Committee health reform bill slaps a 40 percent excise
tax in 2013 on plans valued at more than $8,000 for individual
coverage and $21,000 for family coverage (with some
adjustments). The
congressional Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that this
enormous tax would soon hit 40 percent of all plans. Most likely to be
hit: plans with
people who are older or sicker or those who work for small
employers. A new
tax on the middle class is unacceptable. Unless the bill makes
substantial progress in the areas outlined above – and we
are confident that with an all-out effort from our grassroots it
will – we will oppose it. Health care is an issue that affects everyone and getting
the best bill possible will improve health care for ALL
Americans.
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