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Mark's blog

Don’t tax health plans - USA TODAY Editorial by AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee

Middle-class workers shouldn’t have to pay for the uninsured.
By Gerald W. McEntee

Taxing high-cost insurance plans to fund health care reform is a bad idea. In fact, it could threaten the medical insurance plans of middle-class workers who obtain coverage from their employers. For many of them, especially those in states with high medical costs, there is nothing "gold-plated" about their health coverage.

 

In the end, while claiming to target gold-plated or Cadillac plans, this tax-raising scheme essentially is asking the middle class to pay for the health care for those who are currently uninsured. In an era of rising wealth inequality and stagnant middle-class wages, this tax would make health care less affordable for working families and ultimately inhibit economic growth while giving the wealthy a virtual free ride.



AFSCME Members Rally for Quality Care and Respect During First Day of Contract Negotiations

(Reported by:Jordan Vandenberge From www.KOMU.com)

JEFFERSON CITY - One union believes safety and respect will build a better Missouri. The rotunda echoed the demands of hundreds of union members urging state legislators to take action on Tuesday.

 

The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal employees pleaded and negotiated new contracts.The 8,000 member union claims a lack of resources and dangerously low staffing levels triggers lower levels of patient car across the state.
 


The organization says an increase in state funding will assist an over worked and under appreciated workforce. "Once you've worked so much overtime, you are exhausted and not as awake and coherent as you should be...which is bad for us and our clients," said rehab specialist Michelle Sanders.
 
"We have to be strong and alert. We want to do it, but how can you do it if you don't have the staff?" said veteran home caregiver Delores Scales.
 
Scales later said some state facilities operate with a mere skeleton crew because of the lack of state funding.The state won't finalize the results of today's negotiations for a few weeks, but union members remain hopeful.

Read More Coverage:

Nixon, AFSCME, begin contract negotiations - KWMU

AFSCME members rally over contract talks - Fulton Sun

Union workers rally for better working conditions - KRCG



Doctors Support the Public Option

September 17th, 2009

Doctor survey

The New England Journal of Medicine just released a survey of more than 2,100 physicians that shows overwhelming support for including a public insurance option in health care reform. A public health insurance option would help lower costs, improve quality, cover more and stop insurance company abuses.

When polled, “nearly three-quarters of physicians supported some form of a public option, either alone or in combination with private insurance options,” says Dr. Salomeh Keyhani, an internist and researcher who conducted the survey with Dr. Alex Federman.

Unfortunately, the Senate Finance Committee is considering a bill that ignores these doctors’ advice. It does not come close to meeting the needs of America’s working families in part because it lacks a public option. Wendell Potter, a former CIGNA executive, calls the Finance Committee bill an “absolute gift” to the insurance industry. That’s unacceptable.

The bill being considered in the Finance Committee must be fixed. America can do better and Congress must do better. Reforming health care is too important to do half way.

 

 



We Were There

September 11th, 2009

In memory of the nearly 3,000 people lost on September 11, 2001, including some 600 union members and nine of our AFSCME sisters and brothers: Yvette Anderson, Florence Cohen, Harry Goody, Marian Hrycak, Dorothy Temple, Chet Louie, Rev. Mychal Judge, Ricardo Quinn and Carlos Lillo.

In Memorium 9-11-2001We Were There.

We are the firefighters, police officers, EMTs, health care providers, social and emergency workers, 911 operators, highway crews and others who responded on September 11th.

We Will Always Be There.

Whether it’s making our communities safe or protecting our children, we are Americans dedicated to doing our jobs and keeping our country strong.

Now more than ever —

We Are In the Public Service.

We Are AFSCME.