WHEREAS:

One of the basic tenets of health care reform is shared responsibility among government, employers and individuals to pay for health coverage; and

WHEREAS:

The current private insurance market fails to provide real competition and comprehensive, affordable coverage that people can count on when they need it; and

WHEREAS:

Progressive options exist to finance health care reform that do not result in benefit cuts or more cost sharing for AFSCME members, retirees and other working families; and

WHEREAS:

Expansion of the Medicaid program is needed to ensure that additional low-income individuals have access to health care coverage; and

WHEREAS:

States are already facing a cumulative $350 billion budget gap for 2010 and 2011, and Medicaid is currently the largest budget item for states; and

WHEREAS:

State and local governments rely on disproportionate share hospital (DSH) federal funding to support their safety net hospitals; and

WHEREAS:

The Senate Finance Committee has reported out a bill that fails to adequately address AFSCME’s key principles for health care reform; and

WHEREAS:

The Senate Finance Committee bill must now be merged with the bill reported out by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:

That AFSCME calls on the U.S. Senate to include in the merged bill an employer “pay or play” mandate that requires employers to provide coverage or pay into a fund so their workers can receive a subsidy to buy coverage for themselves and their families; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME calls on the U.S. Senate to include in the merged bill a public health insurance option to provide real competition in the health insurance market, which will significantly lower costs and hold insurance companies accountable, and to reject state and regionally based co-ops, which will have little market clout and no ability to drive changes in the market that will lower costs overall; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME calls on the U.S. Senate in the merged bill to include more progressive options to finance health reform, including a surtax on the wealthiest, limiting itemized deductions, and extending the Medicare tax to unearned income; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME calls on the U.S. Senate to ensure that the merged bill include a Medicaid financing method that provides a reliable and adequate source of funds that can respond to rising costs and changing needs without jeopardizing beneficiaries, providers or state budgets; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME calls on the U.S. Senate to ensure that the merged bill includes DSH payments that accurately reflect hospitals’ uncompensated care costs; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:

That AFSCME will not support the Senate Finance bill in its current form and calls on the U.S. Senate, in the process of merging the two Senate bills, to make the changes described herein.