Trumka blasts Senate health bill as favoring insurance companies

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_4285

By Seth Michaels
18 December 2009

WASHINGTON - The health care bill being considered by the U.S. Senate is inadequate and too tilted toward the insurance industry, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said Thursday.
In recent days, as the Senate has debated health care reform, small numbers of senators have held health care hostage by threatening to block a vote. The new proposal by the Senate puts the interests of insurance companies—and senators who would rather look out for the insurance companies—ahead of real reform.

Trumka said the top priority now is to fight over the rest of the legislative process to fix the bill and make sure we can pass real health care reform.

“The labor movement has been fighting for health care for nearly 100 years and we are not about to stop fighting now, when it really matters,” he said. “But for this health care bill to be worthy of the support of working men and women, substantial changes must be made. The AFL-CIO intends to fight on behalf of all working families to make those changes and win health care reform that is deserving of the name.

“The absolute refusal of Republicans in the Senate to support health care reform and the hijacking of the bill by defenders of the insurance industry have brought us a Senate bill that is inadequate: It is too kind to the insurance industry.

“Genuine health care reform must bring down health costs, hold insurance companies accountable, assure that Americans can get the health care they need and be financed fairly.”

FULL story at link.

[Laelth]

1. k&r for labor. n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[theoldman]

2. I watched Bill Moyers last night.

As usual, his guests provided the best explanation as to why Obama caved in to the insurance industry. Several months ago two of Bill's guests said that the insurance industry was too powerful to fight and that it would be impossible to pass a health care bill. The solution, based on what happened to Bill Clinton, was to make a deal with the insurance companies.

[eridani]

3. Nice, but just a bit late, don't you think?

You signal that you will accept any compromise just to get something passed, and then are shocked!! SHOCKED!! that the big money people take you up on it by fucking over union health care benefits with an excise tax.