We've put together a fact sheet to help lay out the facts and explain the immediate and longer-term impact. We'll pass along more information as soon as we get it.
Many members are reporting that employers or insurance companies are threatening workers with rate hikes, plan changes and other things because of reform. DON'T LET THEM BULLY YOU. Arm yourself with the facts and stay in touch with your union.
Here are some highlights of what reform means right now for union-negotiated plans and VEBAs:
- You will NOT lose your union-negotiated private health insurance plans because of reform. Nothing in this bill changes our right to collectively bargain health plans and employers cannot drop existing plans because of reform.
- Current collectively bargained plans are grandfathered, meaning much of the new law does not apply to those plans until after they expire.
- We will NOT let employers or insurance companies use reform as an excuse to bully us into unnecessarily expensive premium hikes. Don't let them threaten or intimidate and keep our members informed to combat this.
- NO high-cost benefits will be taxed under provisions in the Senate reconciliation or "fixes" bill until at least 2018, and the impact of the tax on insurers should be lessened through a variety of changes and exemptions. That bill is expected to be passed by this weekend.
