Labor & Employment Law

After 60 years, Time to Say ?Yes? to Health Care Reform

By Mike Hall

This afternoon, the AFL-CIO Executive Council said waiting 60 years for health care reform is long enough. Council members agreed to actively support President Obama’s health care bill and called on Congress to pass the legislation, which the U.S. House is set to vote on this Sunday.

Nearly every president since Harry Truman has sought health care reform. But powerful opposition from the insurance industry and others has scuttled each attempt. In a video message to working families, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka says:

We can’t miss this opportunity. We’ve been fighting for health care for 60 years. When I look at the years we have put into fighting for health care and what it means to working families to start down the path of comprehensive reform, I know the time to step forward is now.

Trumka urged union members to call their representatives and tell them to pass the bill (call toll free 1-877-3-AFLCIO). He acknowledges many people have been “conflicted” about the bill. In a press conference call, he told reporters:

It is not a perfect bill. But we are realistic enough to know it’s time for the deliberations to stop and for progress to begin. And we are idealistic enough to believe this is an opportunity to change history we can’t afford to miss.

Trumka says action by working families during the health care debate “has made the health care bill stronger,” much to the dismay of the insurance industry that has:

plastered their money and lobbyists across Capitol Hill to try to stop this bill because it’s a game-changer for them. It ends what is literally a reign of insurance company terror.

Among other provisions, the bill:

• Immediately stops greed-driven insurance company abuse such as denying care based on pre-existing conditions.
• Toughens penalties on employers that try to run from their responsibilities.
• Puts the burden of paying for health care where it belongs–on the wealthy.
• Gets life-saving health coverage to 30 million more people and improves coverage for millions more.
• Reduces prescription drug costs for seniors and saves money for small businesses.

Trumka told reporters:

Rising health care costs are crushing families and businesses. Middle-class families are losing health care coverage faster than any other group today.

This bill is a solid first step in changing that.

Be sure to call your representative at 1-877-3-AFLCIO and tell him or her to pass the health care reform bill.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on March 18, 2010 (boomark / email).