UAW urges passage of health care bill

DETROIT -- UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said today that union members will mobilize to urge speedy passage of the health care reform bill now before Congress.

"UAW members have fought for decades to expand access to quality, affordable health care," Gettelfinger said. "This legislation will extend health insurance to tens of millions of Americans who currently have no coverage. It will end abuses by insurance companies, and guarantee that no one is denied coverage because of a so-called 'pre-existing' condition. And it will offer realistic controls on health care costs with reforms to provider payment and delivery practices."

A compromise announced today regarding a provision in the proposed health care reform bill passed by the U.S. Senate, which would impose an excise tax on certain health insurance plans, "is a step in the right direction," Gettelfinger said.

U.S. labor leaders, Gettelfinger said, "negotiated long and hard at the White House to limit the impact of this tax on millions of working families, including union and non-union households. With these changes, this is a bill UAW members can support and will support."

"America has tried seven different times to pass comprehensive health care reform," he said. "In 2010, we’re going to get it done -- and we'll continue to work in the future improve quality, affordability and access to health care for all Americans."

DETROIT -- UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said today that union members will mobilize to urge speedy passage of the health care reform bill now before Congress.

"UAW members have fought for decades to expand access to quality, affordable health care," Gettelfinger said. "This legislation will extend health insurance to tens of millions of Americans who currently have no coverage. It will end abuses by insurance companies, and guarantee that no one is denied coverage because of a so-called 'pre-existing' condition. And it will offer realistic controls on health care costs with reforms to provider payment and delivery practices."

A compromise announced today regarding a provision in the proposed health care reform bill passed by the U.S. Senate, which would impose an excise tax on certain health insurance plans, "is a step in the right direction," Gettelfinger said.

U.S. labor leaders, Gettelfinger said, "negotiated long and hard at the White House to limit the impact of this tax on millions of working families, including union and non-union households. With these changes, this is a bill UAW members can support and will support."

"America has tried seven different times to pass comprehensive health care reform," he said. "In 2010, we’re going to get it done -- and we'll continue to work in the future improve quality, affordability and access to health care for all Americans."