THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 18, 1996 TAG: 9604180012
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 45 lines
Today's changing job market brings enough stress and upheaval into our lives. Doing well and getting ahead are becoming harder as competition increases at every level.
When looking for a job, we should be able to focus on what career opportunity is best for us and our families, and not be forced to choose jobs simply based on the type of health coverage we are able to receive, or whether we'll be eligible for coverage at all.
Many in the commonwealth of Virginia are afraid to change jobs to better themselves for fear of losing the protection provided by their employee's health-insurance policy.
We are pleased to learn that help could be on the way for serious problems like these. Legislation introduced by Sens. Nancy Kassebaum, R-Kan., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., is pending in Congress that would solve the ``job lock'' problem, where employees fear leaving their jobs because they would lose health-care coverage.
The bill was unanimously approved by the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee last year and is expected to reach a full Senate vote in mid or late April.
The bill faces certain dangers as it moves toward a deciding vote: controversial amendments that could make the legislation unacceptable to the fragile alliance of supporters now backing the narrowly targeted proposal. If the amendments proposed become a reality, then the purpose of the bill will have little or no effect for the working people addressed in the above paragraphs. It is essential that the bill be passed as it is currently written.
Readers should contact their senators and ask them to support the Kassebaum-Kennedy Health Insurance Reform Bill (S.1028) as it is written.
JAMES K. RAMBORGER
Vice chair
AARP State Legislative Committee
Virginia Beach, April 10, 1996 by CNB