ABC President and CEO Kirk Pickerel Nov. 4 sent a letter to members of the U.S. House of Representatives outlining the association’s opposition to a proposed Democratic bill to reform the nation’s health care system. In addition, ABC joined 10 other organizations to form a coalition, Employers for a Healthy Economy, which is sponsoring advertisements across the nation to help educate the public and members of Congress about the need to pass legislation that will control the increasing cost of health care.
In the letter, Pickerel expressed “grave concerns” with the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) because the legislation fails to provide employers and employees with practical or affordable health care solutions.
“ABC strongly opposes legislative proposals that seek to impose health care coverage mandates,” said Pickerel. “A mandated level of coverage would directly result in premium increases making insurance more expensive for both employers and employees.
“To truly reform the health care system, Congress must explore every means available to help reduce the cost on the American public, including medical malpractice tort reform and the inclusion of Small Business Health Plans to allow workers in small businesses and the self-employed to join together to obtain the same economies of scale, purchasing clout, and administrative efficiencies from which employees of large employers and union-sponsored plans currently benefit,” said Pickerel.
In the advertisements, Employers for a Health Economy warns that the House health care proposal could wipe out even more jobs, raise costs, and put employers’ and employees’ current health care benefits at risk. The advertisements will run on national cable networks in addition to local stations in: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
“ABC believes that health care is best administered on free-market principles and cannot support a government takeover of our health care system,” said Pickerel. In the letter, Pickerel also said that ABC is looking forward to working with members of Congress on health care legislation that best fits those principles and that ABC will consider final passage of the legislation a key vote for its 111th congressional scorecard.
To view the advertisement, visit www.employersforahealthyeconomcy.org.
To view a copy of the letter, click here.