AFL-CIO ramps up criticism of health law

Sep 13 2013

The labor federation approved a resolution Wednesday urging changes to parts of President Barack Obama's health care law that it says would drive up the costs of union-sponsored health plans to the point that workers and employers would abandon them.

The New York Times: Unions' Misgivings On Health Law Burst Into View
When President Obama phoned the president of the A.F.L.-C.I.O. last month, he shared some news that the labor leader had long wanted to hear -; the administration would propose measures to reduce workplace exposure to disease-causing silica dust. But their conversation soon moved to what has become a contentious topic this summer: labor's renewed anger over Mr. Obama's health care law and decisions surrounding it, especially the postponement of an employer mandate to ensure coverage for workers and the potential effects of the coming health insurance exchanges on existing plans (Greenhouse and Martin, 9/11).

The Associated Press/Washington Post: Despite White House Pressure, AFL-CIO Steps Up Criticism Of Obama's Health Law
The strongly worded resolution says the Affordable Care Act will drive up the costs of union-sponsored health plans to the point that workers and employers are forced to abandon them. Labor unions still support the law's overall goals of reducing health costs and bringing coverage to all Americans, the resolution says, but adds that the law is being implemented in a way that is "highly disruptive" to union health care plans (9/11).

Bloomberg: Call To Change Obama's Health Law Opens Rift With Labor
The AFL-CIO is asking for changes to the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama's landmark health-care overhaul, potentially opening fissures between the White House and one of its staunch political allies. The largest U.S. labor federation approved a resolution yesterday urging amendments to the law in a voice vote on the final day of its quadrennial convention in Los Angeles (Efstathiou, 9/12).

Roll Call: GOP Leery Of Labor's Push For A Health Care Law Fix
A simmering conflict between organized labor and the Obama administration over the 2010 health care law could drive a wedge between the White House and one of its most reliable backers. Congressional Republicans, on the other hand, are eager to expose the divide and warn the administration they will firmly oppose any attempt to acquiesce to labor's concerns (Harrison, 9/11).

In other news, Politico reports that final rules about how lawmakers and their staffs can get  coverage in the exchanges may not be published until after Oct. 1 -

Politico: Obamacare Enrollment Rules For Hill Staff May Be Delayed
The Office of Personnel Management may not issue final rules about how members of Congress and their staff can get insurance coverage through exchanges until after enrollment opens on Oct. 1, Chief Administrative Officer of the House Dan Strodel wrote in a memo to staff Wednesday. Without the final rule, Hill staff won't be able to view their plan options, costs, benefits or final details on who must enter the exchange, he wrote (Cunningham, 9/11).