Massachusetts AFL-CIO
Action Center!
Tell Speaker DiMasi to Reconsider Employee Mandate for Health Care

In last Saturday’s Boston Globe Speaker DiMasi indicated his support for an employee mandate on health care coverage. We are troubled by this decision and believe this will continue a disturbing trend in health care of employers dumping health insurance coverage for their employees.

This trend is on the rise nationally. According to the Economic Policy Institute, there are 3.7 million fewer people with employer-based health insurance now than there were in 2000. Almost 11 million more people would have health insurance today if the same percentage of employers provided health insurance now as they did in 2000.

 

Here in Massachusetts 91,000 residents have had their employers drop their health insurance coverage. This represents a loss of nearly 10%.

 

We believe Speaker DiMasi’s plan of placing the burden of purchasing health care on the individual, without having any employer responsibility, will increase the rate of employers dumping their health insurance coverage. Why would an employer continue to provide health insurance if they know their employees must cover themselves?

 

Please take a moment to read the sample letter/email provided here and forward it on to Speaker DiMasi. Also, please call Speaker DiMasi at 617-722-2500. Ask that he not support any employee mandate without employer responsibility also. Thank you.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Reconsider Employee Mandate!

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am writing to express my opposition to an employee mandate on health care coverage. I am concerned that this policy will lead to additional employers dumping the health insurance coverage of their employees.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, between 2000 and 2004 5.4% of Massachusetts employees lost their employer-based health care. By shifting the responsibility of health care to employees you will be aggravating this already troubling trend.

Any plan to solve the health care crisis in Massachusetts should have an employer responsibility component to it. I ask that you reconsider your support for an employee mandate. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
October 26, 2005


Background Information

In last Saturday’s Boston Globe Speaker DiMasi indicated his support for an employee mandate on health care coverage. We are troubled by this decision and believe this will continue a disturbing trend in health care of employers dumping health insurance coverage for their employees.

This trend is on the rise nationally. According to the Economic Policy Institute, there are 3.7 million fewer people with employer-based health insurance now than there were in 2000. Almost 11 million more people would have health insurance today if the same percentage of employers provided health insurance now as they did in 2000.

 

Here in Massachusetts 91,000 residents have had their employers drop their health insurance coverage. This represents a loss of nearly 10%.

 

We believe Speaker DiMasi’s plan of placing the burden of purchasing health care on the individual, without having any employer responsibility, will increase the rate of employers dumping their health insurance coverage. Why would an employer continue to provide health insurance if they know their employees must cover themselves?

 

We have asked our supporters to please take a moment to read the sample letter/email provided here and forward it on to Speaker DiMasi. Also, please call Speaker DiMasi at 617-722-2500. Ask that he not support any employee mandate without employer responsibility also. Thank you.