Friday, November 06, 2009

Region 3 members hit the phones for health care

UAW Local 98 member Tom "Pig" Newton doesn't have that alleged "gold-plated" or "Cadillac" health care plan that opponents of health care reform love to criticize.

In fact, Newton is among the 47 million Americans who don't have health care at all. He's just one of our fellow citizens who lives in constant pain from his medical condition and in constant fear that he's going to be financially ruined.

The former crank shaft machine operator at Navistar in Indianapolis was laid off in May 2008. The plant closed this summer. He has diabetes that has caused holes in his feet, severe arthritis and psoriasis. He can barely afford his diabetes medicine. But the arthritis medicine, which he discovered also alleviates his psoriasis, costs an unaffordable $1,100 a month for eight shots.

"I'm just going without and it gets worse every day," Newton said.

That's why he and other concerned UAW members in Indiana were on the phones Nov. 5 at Local 226 as part of the National Week of Action on health care. They made their struggles known to Republican Sen. Richard Lugar, who like his entire party, is fighting reform of America's highly inefficient health care system. And they urged their Democratic senator, Evan Bayh, who generally supports health care reform, to back specific elements of reform so it truly helps people like Tom Newton.

"I just want them to know it's my only ray of hope," Newton said.

With health care reform passed by five key committees in the House and Senate, the United States is moving closer than ever to quality affordable health care for all. UAW members across the country are joining the effort to urge Congress to pass a comprehensive bill that is fair to working families.

Region 3, for example, has six phone lines working at Local 226 this week and has been urging the 20,000 UAW members across the Indianapolis area to ramp up the pressure on lawmakers by calling the U.S. Capitol and asking for the senators from their state. The House version of the bill, which contains significant health care reform provisions, is expected to be up for a vote on Saturday, Nov 7. But the real test may come in the Senate, where some conservative Democrats have not made up their minds about how far to go with reform.

And that's why Newton and other UAW members had phones jammed up against their ears. Some had lost insurance or had their health care benefits severely reduced when the auto industry went into a tailspin. Many UAW members haven't seen a wage increase because money for those has been eaten up by dramatic increases in the cost of health care for employers.

"When we go to the bargaining table, the biggest issue is the cost of health care because it's the most expensive," said Mo Davison, director of UAW Region 3, which include Indiana and Kentucky. "It's getting to the point where employers can't afford to pay for health care for their employees."

Keith Neargardner, Region 3's Community Action Program representative, says UAW members should stress three points in their calls and e-mails to lawmakers:

-- Health care reform must include a strong public option.

--There should be no taxes on health care plans provided by employers.

-- Employers must pay their fair share.

"There won’t be real reform without a robust public option to break the stranglehold of big insurance companies," Neargardner said. "It's the only way to bring down costs."

Lawmakers like to hear constituents' personal stories about a particular issue, Neargardner said. He added that lawmakers definitely consider constituent calls and e-mails before casting their votes.

"That gives them an idea of how many people care about an issue."

And in Indianapolis, and elsewhere throughout our union, there can be no doubt that health care reform is an issue we all care deeply about. Just ask Tom Newton.