Heal the Health Care System
A New Day: Shown with Department of Labor Sec. Hilda L. Solis, who addressed the March meeting of the International Executive Board in Washington, DC.
Message from the President
By Gerald W. McEntee
Everyone should know these facts. One, for the last eight years, health insurance premiums have grown four times faster than wages. Two, out of what employers pay each year to provide their workers with health care benefits, $1,000 of it—that’s $1,000 per worker—goes toward providing care for the 46 million Americans who are uninsured. Three, health care costs have become an obstacle in almost all of our contract negotiations. As a result, we often have to give up wage increases in order to maintain decent health care benefits.
All three facts add up to this: From people like us who have quality benefits they can depend on, to individuals who are uninsured, Americans’ access to quality, affordable health care is a problem that affects everyone.
The Battle Ahead
Pres. Barack Obama has promised to fix our health care system and has provided us with a roadmap to do just that. We must stand by him, ensure that bad proposals don’t take hold and fight anyone who thinks it’s a good idea to tax our health care benefits.
With 16 percent of our economy devoted to health care, fixing the system won’t be easy. The special interests will fight us every step of the way. Need proof? In the past two years, they’ve spent a staggering $1 billion on lobbying. Drug companies, the health insurance industry, big hospital chains and the medical device manufacturers will all come to the table talking reform. But all they really want is to protect their profits.
The pharmaceutical giants claim they need money to develop new medicines. In truth, they spend more on marketing, advertising and administration than research and development. And insurance companies aren’t any better. They deny care so they can continue to make money.
Healthy Competition
Pledging to guarantee quality affordable health care for all, President Obama said that benefits for any plan must be comprehensive and affordable. He promised that employers would share in financing coverage and said people would be able to keep their current coverage, or have other options, including a public health insurance plan.
The benefits of a public health insurance plan are many. First, it would save money—$3 trillion over 10 years. Further, it would boost patients’ access to quality care. It’s also reliable. Whatever happens with private insurance, public health insurance will be there. But what’s most important for AFSCME members is that we would finally have the bargaining power we need to transform our health care system into one that is based on high quality and value instead of today’s system of obscene profiteering and care limitations. Given all of that, it’s no surprise that polling shows 73 percent of Americans want a public health insurance option.
Fierce Urgency of Now
We can’t wait. Since 2001, eight million Americans have lost their health insurance. If we do nothing, the whole health care system will implode.
AFSCME has faced tough battles before and won. We defeated the attempt at privatizing Social Security and we played a key role in the passage of President Obama’s economic recovery package. We can do the same with health care. For more information on this important fight and to join AFSCME’s campaign, visit MakeAmericaHappen.com. We want quality, affordable health care for all. And we want it now!
