Chamber Works to Help Uninsured

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With reports showing that millions of working Americans still lack health insurance, the United States Chamber of Commerce has joined together with a number of influential organizations to raise awareness of the issue.

"It's not too often that so many groups can agree on an issue," said Thomas Donohue, Chamber President and CEO. "That we have all come together in support of efforts to reduce the number of uninsured Americans shows the broad impact of this crisis. The Chamber and the business community are committed to increasing the number of Americans with health coverage and containing the costs that are straining our health care system."

The Chamber is sponsoring Cover the Uninsured Week, which runs March 10-16. The week marks an unprecedented effort to increase awareness of the plight of uninsured Americans. Eighteen national partner organizations and a total of 140 national groups representing business owners, working men and women, doctors, nurses, insurers and consumers are part of this effort, which will consist of more than 460 events nationwide.

"Without coverage, uninsured Americans tend to delay seeking health care," Donohue said. "Next week, state and local chambers will meet for frank discussions about our health care system, with policy experts and labor leaders. Normally when business and labor sit down to talk about health care, it's to work out contentious contract details – but this time, we will do so to find common understanding."

For nearly four years, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has partnered with diverse groups to raise awareness of the consequences of having more than 41 million Americans without health insurance. Solutions advocated by the Chamber include, pooled purchasing for small employers, equitable tax treatment for individuals who purchase their own health coverage and refundable tax credits targeted to those with modest incomes.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

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