As unions have gradually realized the effects the president’s health-care law would have on their members, they have begun to campaign for certain changes to the law.
A bill introduced today by Senator John Thune (R., S.D.) would ensure the unions didn’t receive any Obamacare exemptions.
“Despite championing ObamaCare’s passage in 2010, union leaders are now awaking to the ugly reality of ObamaCare that most Americans have predicted all along, including higher health care costs,” Thune said in a statement. “Now that the full consequences of the Democrats’ law are nearing, these same union leaders are seeking a special backroom deal from the White House.”
“Rather than take hard-earned money from taxpayers to subsidize union health care plans, the Obama administration should give all Americans a break by permanently delaying this train wreck,” Thune added.
Right now, it appears that union health-care plans would not be eligible for taxpayer subsidies under Obamacare.
At the AFL-CIO conference in Los Angeles yesterday, Obama-administration official Valerie Jarrett told members the administration was aware of their concerns about Obamacare. “We intend to work to solve those problems big and small and we are committed to sitting down in good faith and working on solutions,” Jarrett said, according to the Hill.