Health care reform is critical to working families

Stephanie Kindrick of UAW Local 1590 and her son, Chase. Kindrick is laid off and worries about what would happen if she lost her health care benefits.

When Congress reconvenes this month, the stage will be set for a historic battle over health care reform.

The House is expected to take up legislation that has been reported by three committees. The UAW and a broad coalition of progressive organizations are strongly supporting the House bill.

"Right now, I'd say it has a 50-50 chance, but I sure hope it gets passed," said Stephanie Kindrick, a UAW Local 1590 member who is laid off from her parts picker job at General Motors' facility in Martinsburg, W.Va. "Everybody deserves good health care, not just the most fortunate."

A single parent to 15-year-old son Chase, Kindrick has the lowest seniority of those still on layoff at her plant. She worries her health coverage may end if she's not called back to work. And she knows what it's like not to have health insurance.

In 2001 while she was a temporary GM worker without benefits, Kindrick's son broke his arm and needed surgery. The cost: $5,000.

"I'm still paying on that medical bill eight years later," said Kindrick. "Lord forbid something should happen to him again. I pray on that every day, about what we'd do if I lose my benefits."

The landmark legislation, which meets key UAW goals for health care, will:

• Ensure that 97 percent of Americans have health insurance coverage.
• Provide subsidies to ensure that coverage is affordable for lower- and middle-income families.
• Require employers to contribute to the cost of coverage.
• Guarantee individuals choice of health care plans and physicians.
• Establish a strong public plan option to provide competition for private insurers.
• Reform the delivery of health care to help contain costs.
• Provide assistance to employers and Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Associations (VEBAs) to help them continue coverage for early retirees.
• Provide for progressive financing and reject proposals to tax workers' health care benefits.

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) has reported a bill similar to the House legislation. But the Finance Committee is still deadlocked, with GOP members resisting key elements of genuine reform.

The House bill and the Senate HELP Committee bill would provide enormous benefits to working families.

Unfortunately, health insurance companies and other opponents of health care reform are mobilizing to block the House and HELP Committee bills. They're spreading misinformation, claiming it would lead to a government takeover of health care.

In reality, they're afraid it will ensure real competition for private insurance carriers – and reduce their exorbitant profits.

"UAW members have been fighting to fix our broken health system for decades, and this is our chance to make it happen," said UAW President Ron Gettelfinger. "We've got to keep the pressure on, and make sure members of Congress – from both parties – support reforms that will really deliver for working families."

Jennifer John contributed to this story.