The Charlotte Chamber endorses the U.S. Chamber's position as presented on the issue of Health Care Reform. In addition, we encourage the U.S. Congress to take additional time to consider the details involved and to build a greater consensus around this important and complex issue.

FEDERAL HEALTH CARE REFORM:
U.S. Chamber of Commerce

The United States has the world's best health care system, but it is being priced out of reach for more and more American citizens and companies. Companies struggle to find health care plans that provide adequate coverage and are still affordable, and worry about what will come next year.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce recognizes that most health care coverage is provided by employers. To make it easier for employers and their employees to afford the health care coverage they need, we support legislative action to:

• Retain viable employer-sponsored health care. Employers provide voluntary health insurance to over 177 million. ERISA allows many of them the flexibility to provide uniform benefits to their employees. ERISA is the backbone of employer-provided coverage and must be preserved.
• Reform the delivery system including payment and reimbursement reform to reduce costs while increasing quality and outcomes including: implementation of comprehensive strategies to boost health information technology, wellness, prevention, disease management, and coordination of care.
• Create a more vibrant private health insurance market for individuals and small businesses.
• Hold down soaring health care costs due to the explosive growth in medical liability awards and insurance costs through specialized health courts.
• Encourage more Americans to purchase health insurance by enacting refundable tax credits for that purpose.
• Encourage more Americans to save for medical expenses tax-free by expanding Health Saving Accounts and allowing those with Flexible Spending Accounts to roll over unused balances to pay for future medical expenses.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce does not support legislative action that would:

• Create a Government-run (Public) plan: A government-run plan would be an unfair competitor, with the government acting as both a team owner and the referee. Government programs shift costs to the private sector. The Lewin Group estimates 130 million people would move from private to public insurance. This could lead to a government-controlled single-payer system.
• Create Employer Mandates: Punishing employers who cannot afford to provide health insurance coverage, including requirements to pay or play, is not the answer. Employer mandates, by their nature limit flexibility and innovation - the cornerstones of American health care.
• Create Minimum Required Coverage Level: Proposing a huge Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP)-like minimum coverage package will bankrupt employers and workers. Cadillac, gold-plated coverage like this will not appeal to the young. The minimum level of coverage should be more akin to a high-deductible health plan with coverage of preventative services.
• Impose additional tax burdens individuals or businesses: The implementation of new taxes and fees for businesses and/or individuals that cannot afford health insurance would be dramatically counterproductive. Further, the taxation of health benefits will lead to a reduction in benefits offered by employers and will lead to higher taxes for many individuals and businesses.