Labor Union Blog

Alliance for Retired Americans members protested insurance companies’ anti-reform scare tactics.

Next week, the U.S. Senate is expected to begin debate on long-promised health care reform legislation. We’ve waited decades and fought hard for this moment—but progress could be blocked if a minority of senators refuses to allow a fair debate and a fair vote.

That’s right: Despite huge wins for pro-working family, pro-health care reform candidates in the House and Senate and the election of a pro-health care reform president, a few senators can do the bidding of insurance companies and prevent a bill from getting to the floor or getting a vote.

Now is the time to contact your senators and tell them: Health care can’t wait. It’s time for action.

Here’s more news from the fight for real health care reform:

• The Alliance for Retired Americans offered thanks to members of the U.S. House who voted to pass a health care reform bill that will improve Medicare and help the young and seniors alike. Alliance members also are protesting insurance companies like Humana that have used scare tactics and falsehoods to try and stop reform.

• At Open Left, Mike Lux runs down the benefits we will see from health care reform and the big fights still ahead to make reform the best it can be.
• Health Care for America Now (HCAN) is launching new ads urging senators in two key states—Arkansas and Nebraska—to allow a Senate vote on health care reform.
• The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) looks at the employer’s role in health care and finds that the just-passed House bill does well at ensuring that employers can provide high-quality coverage.
• The Center for American Progress notes that the House bill will have big benefits for unmarried women, who are too often uninsured in our current system.