The U.S. Senate Nov. 21 voted to allow debate on the Democrat version of health care reform after the Thanksgiving recess. Cloture on the motion to proceed to the bill, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, passed 60-39 along party lines.
Before the vote, ABC sent a letter to all Senators opposing the legislation and advocating for reforms that will reduce costs to small businesses and the construction industry. ABC noted that the construction industry is facing an unemployment rate of 19 percent, and that the increased taxes and employer mandates will only make the situation worse.
“The Senate Democratic health care bill introduced by Senator Reid fails to provide the kind of reform working Americans desperately need,” said ABC President and CEO Kirk Pickerel. “This bill does nothing to provide workers in the construction industry with more affordable care or increased health care options.”
ABC pointed out in the letter that the Senate bill will add $28 billion in new taxes on employers that don’t provide a government-approved health plan, in addition to increasing overall taxes by $493.6 billion. ABC also opposed the government-run public health insurance plan, pointing out that according to the Congressional Budget Office, such a plan would have higher premiums than the average for private plans.
In addition to noting flaws in the plan, ABC listed ways that the health care system can be reformed on free-market principles that will truly help the construction industry.
“To truly reform the health care system, Congress must explore every means available to help reduce costs on the American public, including medical malpractice tort reform,” said Pickerel. “Congress should also consider 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 administration efficiencies from which employees of large employers and union-sponsored plans currently benefit.”
The U.S. House of Representatives approved its version of health care reform 220-215 earlier in November.
To read ABC’s letter, click
here.