Dear friend,

With nearly 47 million Americans without any health insurance coverage, the time is now for comprehensive health care reform in our country. Congress has taken up the all-important task of tackling the health care crisis this nation currently faces and is currently debating what the reform of our health care system should look like. Now is the time to make our voices heard on a crucial issue that will affect us all.

Universal health care coverage that is affordable, accessible, and that provides quality care is a basic right that every American is entitled to, and the Teamsters are encouraged that Congress is seriously beginning to work towards ensuring that this right is guaranteed. However, the Teamsters believe that any proposal to pay for health care reform that includes a tax on workers with employer-provided health benefits is a step in the wrong direction.

Eliminating or capping the tax exclusion for employer-provided health care benefits would threaten to undermine the primary source of health care coverage for most Americans, as over 160 million Americans currently receive coverage through an employer - either as an employee, dependent, or retiree. First, it would remove an important incentive for employers to provide health care plans, which could lead some employers either to drastically change or eliminate their plans altogether. Also, if workers end up being taxed for benefits at possibly both the federal and state level, this could lead to younger, healthier workers choosing less comprehensive plans over employer-provided plans. As a result, the cost of coverage for older, less healthier workers would inflate, leading to the unraveling of employer-provided coverage.

Members of Congress need to hear from us at this crucial time! Please take the time today to e-mail your members of Congress and ask that they not support any proposal for health care reform that includes the elimination or capping of the tax exclusion for employer-provided benefits. Placing this tax on workers is unfair, especially when so many have already sacrificed cuts in wages and benefits.

Subject: Please Oppose the Taxation of Health Care Benefits

Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

I applaud Congress for taking comprehensive steps towards tackling the health care crisis our country currently faces. With nearly 47 million Americans without any health insurance coverage, the time is now to ensure that universal coverage that is affordable, accessible, and that provides quality care is guaranteed for all Americans. However, as your constituent, I strongly urge you not to support any proposal to pay for health care reform that includes the elimination or capping of the tax exclusion for employer-provided health benefits.

Eliminating or capping this tax exclusion would threaten to undermine the primary source of health care coverage for most Americans, as over 160 million Americans currently receive coverage through an employer - either as an employee, dependent, or retiree. First, it would remove an important incentive for employers to provide health care plans, which could lead some employers either to drastically change or eliminate their plans altogether. Also, if workers end up being taxed for benefits at possibly both the federal and state level, this could lead to younger, healthier workers choosing less comprehensive plans over employer-provided plans. As a result, the cost of coverage for older, less healthier workers would inflate, leading to the unraveling of employer-provided coverage.

Again, I urge you to oppose any proposal that includes altering the tax treatment of employer-provided health benefits.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]