Key Issue: Health Care Reform

More than 48 million Americans, including 9 million children, have no health care coverage – and with the economy in a downturn, more will lose coverage unless we pass reform now.

Congress and the President have put comprehensive health care reform at the top of their agenda this year. PSEA and the NEA believe that this effort is vital to the nation's economic recovery and for strong public schools. Good health supports student achievement and powers a great education.

Ensuring quality, affordable health care for everyone in America is fundamental to our economic future and critically important to our nation's children and their families. Students can't learn unless they come to school healthy.

Key messages on health care reform

• Support health reform to ensure that every person in America has quality, affordable health care coverage.
• Oppose proposals being discussed in the U.S. Senate that would limit or cap the employee tax exclusion for health benefits in any way (oppose taxing employer-provided health benefits).
• Health care reform must guarantee a choice of plans and providers through a private health insurance plan (including one that employees may currently have through their employer) and a government-sponsored public health insurance plan option. A public health insurance plan option should not be delayed but established immediately and should be an integral part of any health care reform initiative
   

Take Action

• Contact your Senators:  No Excise Tax on Health Insurance Plans!
• Tell Congress to craft health care reform proposals that will ensure quality, affordable health care for everyone in America, to reject proposals to tax employer-provided benefits and to make a government-sponsored public health insurance plan option available to all.
  
   

Stay Informed

• Health Care Reform:Facts and Fiction
   
• Visit the NEA's Health Care Reform page for frequent updates on health care legislation and ways to take action
  
• WhiteHouse.gov's Reality Check includes detailed information on Myths and Facts surrounding the national debate on health care reform
  
• Talking points on health care reform from Health Care For America NOW!