US Chamber of Commerce -- the Women's Version, That Is -- Favors Robust Public Plan for Healthcare Reform

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT
by Christine Bowman

Reformers and progressives tend to be skeptical -- with good reason -- of big business advocates like the US Chamber of Commerce. Corporate America, their lobbyists, their profit motive just get our hackles up. That's why it's refreshing to discover a more enlightened business group in terms of their stance on reforming the healthcare system.

If we look at healthcare concerns from the US Chamber of Commerce perspective versus the US Women's Chamber of Commerce perspective, a stark contrast emerges. Minions of the former have been heard on Capitol Hill and Fox News broadly condemning reform measures and threatening to "oppose the 'Affordable Health Choices Act' unless several key provisions are significantly changed." They decry a "government-run" option and raise the specter of "an unelected, unaccountable bureaucracy that would force its decisions upon American workers and employers." They also reject capping profits for private insurers.

On the other hand, the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce released quite a different position paper Wednesday advocating "strong healthcare reforms in support of American values." The women's business group supports "Health Insurance Exchanges, guaranteed access to affordable health insurance coverage, bringing an end to age and wellness discrimination, a robust government public plan, greater transparency and accountability, choice, flexibility, and portability of health insurance."

What's more, their report calls the status quo that the US Chamber defends "a gross failure." It "has left women and their families (especially single mothers, self-employed women, and minority women) sacrificing health and quality of life" and has "been careening towards a complete collapse" for more than a decade.

Their members, mostly women who run small businesses, want: "... bold action to reduce costs, the flexibility to allow small businesses to pool resources to drive down costs, the creation of Health Insurance exchanges and a government led public plan to keep insurance carriers' rate competitive, and ... choice and affordability.

"We have heard over and over from our members how the escalating costs of healthcare are suffocating their businesses and creating great personal and family hardships," says Margot Dorfman, CEO of the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce.

Alarming statistics support their positions. Despite their increased full-time participation in the workforce, less than half of women have the option of securing employer-based coverage of their own. On the employer side, the number of small businesses able to offer insurance has declined due to rising costs, and premiums for employers have grown by 120% in ten years (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; and Kaiser Family Foundation).

"Access to affordable healthcare should be a right -- not a privilege," the report goes on to say. "The healthcare industry (driven by large hyper-profit driven corporate insurance carriers) does not share the values and objectives of the American people" but is driven by "profits above all else."

"The solution ... will ... require changes to the structure of the market and delivery of services, government involvement and oversight. ... It is an American Values Imperative that our government leaders act ... to place a higher emphasis on our quality of life and our broader business competitiveness."

Isn't it encouraging to know that the US Chamber of Commerce doesn't speak for all business people? Other employers and their lobbyists are ready for vigorous competition and robust change. The not-for-profit US Women's Chamber of Commerce represents over 500,000 members. We hope their voices are heard.

http://www.uswcc.org/healthreport.pdf

http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayRelease...

Also recommended:

Women at Risk: A View from the Safety Net (Kaiser Family Foundation)

Jan Schakowsky on Health Care Reform (Video/Real News Network)

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT