Wednesday is National Healthcare Call-In Day
Tell Congress: Don't Tax Our Benefits
Status Update: The Senate recently passed their version of healthcare reform. While containing some positive reforms, it also gives us cause for concern, particularly over a new tax on healthcare benefits to finance the proposal. Now that the bills from the House and Senate will be merged into one, we need to make sure our Members of Congress know that the excise tax is a big problem, and that we don't want it in the final bill.
What is the excise tax: This would be a tax on higher-cost benefit plans. Many USW members have health insurance plans that qualify for the tax ($23,000 for family and $8,500 for individual coverage). That's because plans covering older workers, workers employed by small businesses, workers with worse than average health histories, workers from higher-risk workplaces, etc. all have higher healthcare costs. Many of us have bargained on other things up along the way to maintain high-quality benefits.
WE ARE STRONGLY OPPOSED TO THIS TAX ON BENEFITS.
Action Instructions:
Many of you have already called your legislators. We are asking for you to call ONCE AGAIN this Wednesday, January 13, to register your opinion on healthcare reform.
1 - Dial Toll-Free, 866-203-4960.
2 - Ask for each Senator and your Representative.
Note: Make three calls total, one to each Senator and one to your Representative. You can call all three on the same day, or spread the calls out over a couple of days. The important thing is that each person gets the message!
3 - Tell him or her that you are a voter and that we need healthcare reform that:
- DOES NOT TAX BENEFITS,
- Ensures employers provide care or pay into a system to ensure everyone can get care, and
- Has a strong public option.
