Oregon Unions Oppose Effort To Tax Health Care Benefits As Single Payer Remains Excluded From Debate

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/11150

By Doug Cunningham

The Oregon AFL-CIO, AFSCME and the Oregon NEA are running radio ads in Oregon opposing Democratic Senator Ron Wyden’s proposal to tax health care benefits like income. The labor organizations say middle class working families would take a $2-4,000 tax hit if health benefits are taxed. During a press conference call on the issue we asked why the debate isn’t focused on a single-payer universal coverage system rather than wrangling over issues like whether or not to tax employer based benefits. Some polls indicate a majority of Americans support single-payer, it saves 30 percent in overhead costs and covers everyone, whether they have a job or not. Hundreds of labor organizations nationwide have signed on to support the Conyers single payer bill and millions of Americans support single payer, so why isn’t it part of the health care reform debate? Here’s Oregon AFL-CIO President Tom Chamberlain’s reply.

: “I don’t know if we ever get to single payer in this country. I mean, what you’re talking about is tearing completely down the existing system and starting from scratch. I just don’t see how that’s going to happen. I mean, the debate over the public option – which is just an option for employees – is intense. So going to a single payer – I just don’t think – it’s not part of the debate and I don’t know how it could be.”

[pleah]

1. K&R Health Care Benefits should not be taxed.

imo.

[paulsby]

2. i agree. made the same point and was accused of being selfish

my union strongly opposes taxing health care benefits. taxing my benefits would cost me about 4k a year fwiw

[clear eye]

3. What do you think, OS, when you read the union guy's answer

to the question about single-payer? Do you think it's too disruptive to our economy to even try for?

[bkkyosemite]

4. Again I wrote him a email saying no taxes on our right to healthcare nor insurance companies

controlling our health...enough!

[clear eye]

5. Could be a decoy

Could be that they expect to pass an amendment giving up the tax on benefits, pass the rest of the sorry bill (leaving the health insurers in control of prices, cost, next to no coverage for the unemployed unless you qualify for Medicaid), and call it a victory.