Top Reasons to Support the House Health Care Plan

Here's how the health care plan that the House of Representatives passed will benefit CWA members:

• All employers (except for small businesses) will be required to provide health care for their employees or pay into a fund. That means no more health care freeloading by some companies. 
  
• It's fairly funded. It doesn't tax our health benefits but pays for health care through employer responsibility and a surtax on the very wealthiest families earning more than $500,000 a year.
  
• It ends abusive practices by insurance companies. Insurers can't deny claims because of pre-existing conditions or cancel coverage when a patient files a claim.
  
• Children up to age 27 will continue to be covered by their family's insurance.
  
• No more lifetime maximum benefit limits. 
  
• Provides protection for pre-Medicare eligible retirees and creates a new fund to help employers finance health care coverage for early retirees ages 55-64.
  
• Provides a public health insurance option that will compete with private insurance companies and help keep them honest.
  
• Applies anti-trust laws to insurance companies (they're currently exempt from these laws) so insurers have to compete.