Dear friend,

Congress has just returned to Washington from a month-long recess, and we need to make sure that as Members of Congress get back to work, especially in the U.S. Senate, that passing health insurance reform is a top priority. Can we count on you to call your Senators today and ask that they make health insurance reform a priority and support the Kennedy HELP (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions) committee bill?

The Kennedy HELP committee bill is very similar to H.R. 3200, the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act, which has been passed by three House committees. Like H.R. 3200, the Kennedy HELP bill requires employers to provide health care coverage for employees or pay their fair share into a pool if not. Insurance companies would no longer be able to deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions, nor would “lifetime limits”, or the capping of health care benefits at a pre-determined amount, be allowed. Health care benefits would also not be taxed. The Teamsters oppose any kind of taxation on benefits, whether it is on the worker, employer, or insurance company. The Kennedy HELP bill also includes a public plan option but allows you to keep your own insurance plan if you like it.

Please call your Senators today at 1-877-264-4226. We can no longer wait – health insurance reform must be done now!

Sample call script:

Hello, my name is ____________________________.  I’d like to speak to whomever in Senator ____________’s office works on health care.

I’m calling because I need health insurance reform that actually works for people like me and I’m tired of waiting.  The insurance companies have run the health care system long enough—we need reform that puts health care before profits.

I’m asking Senator _____________ to stand up for regular people like me by supporting the Kennedy HELP bill.  I would also like the Senator to help move this process forward in the Senate by calling Senate leaders like Harry Reid and Dick Durbin and urging them to get this done and get it done right.

We need health care that guarantees affordability for everyone. I urge Senator _______ to support the Kennedy HELP bill.