AFL-CIO Announces Campaign To Expand Health Insurance to All U.S. Residents by End of 2009

The AFL-CIO on Wednesday at events in several cities nationwide announced a campaign that seeks to expand health insurance to all U.S. residents by the end of 2009, the Louisville Courier-Journal reports. The campaign seeks to help elect presidential and congressional candidates that support such proposals.

According to the AFL-CIO, which did not endorse specific candidates or proposals, the U.S. health care system should reduce "rising and irrational" costs; provide comprehensive, high-quality care to all residents; and continue to allow residents to select their physicians (Howington, Louisville Courier-Journal, August 30, 2007). AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said that the union likely will not endorse a specific presidential candidate during the primary season, although all the unions will hold all candidates accountable for their health care positions. Under current rules, a candidate would have to obtain support from two-thirds of AFL-CIO members to receive an endorsement from the union (Swanson, The Hill, August 29, 2007).

American Public Media's "Marketplace Morning Report" on Wednesday reported on the campaign. The segment includes comments from Heather Booth, director of the campaign, and David Burda, editor of Modern Healthcare (Hobson, "Marketplace Morning Report," American Public Media, August 29, 2007). Audio and a transcript of the segment are available online.