Labor & Employment Law

Health Care Reform Is Personal for Longtime Trade Unionist

By Mike Hall

Max Hall has seen the fight for health care reform from both sides?as an advocate and a patient. In a Point of View (POV) guest column at the AFL-CIO website, Hall (no relation to me) writes how he first saw passing health care reform as part of the principles of fairness he believes in. But later, the issue turned personal for the 30-year veteran trade unionist when, in September, he confronted serious medical issues.

The writer and editor for the AFL-CIO Maritime Trades Department (MTD) lost the lower portion of his right leg due to a blood infection. His union health care covered his hospitalization and rehab, and for that he?s thankful.

But he warns that ?what happened to me can happen to anyone. If not an amputation, then cancer, a stroke, renal failure, a car accident or a heart attack.”

These days, when I hear a cable TV personality mischaracterize President Obama’s health care program, I wonder: What would have happened to me if, like 47 million people in this country, I didn’t have insurance?  And what will happen if opponents of the plan are able to get it overturned?

Hall says, ?I would rather not find out.?

And so, I’m going to help get the word out?with the new Congress now sworn in, I’ll be setting the record straight, whenever I can. Hopefully, I’ll also be walking on my new prosthesis. Either way, I’ll continue to thank my lucky stars that the union movement made a difference on an issue of such supreme importance, to me and millions of other American workers.

Click here to read his full column.

(Although Max and I aren?t related, we?ve been friends for nearly 30 years since we both worked together at the Seafarers (SIU) LOG.)

We want to hear your story about how the new health care reform law has helped you, your family, neighbors or friends. Tell us your personal story here.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on January 07, 2011 (boomark / email).