Feel M*A*S*Hed by possible tripling of health costs? Turn out Wednesday to tell legislators in person your stories

If you’re feeling smashed by the possible tripling of health costs legislators could inflict on you, turn out Wednesday at the Federation’s M*A*S*H tent on the Capitol campus in Olympia.

The M*A*S*H tent, sponsored by several Federation locals, aims to show legislators how bad the state employee health care plan may be if lawmakers reject the funding now in the version of the budget passed by the state House. The Senate has not agreed.

The WFSE/AFSCME-M*A*S*H tent will be up near the Tivoli Fountain on the Capitol lawn, just off Capitol Way. It will be up this Wednesday, March 17, from 9 a.m. until about dusk.

We’ve invited all 147 legislators to stop by for coffee and a pastry to learn more from you about why the health insurance funding issue is so important. It’ll also be an opportunity to argue for funding to save the Basic Health Plan and other health-related programs that are on the budget chopping block.

BACKGROUND ON WHY THIS EVENT IS SO IMPORTANT

• The House budget includes $65 million to fund state employee health insurance. This helps close part of the deficit caused when $200 million was diverted in 2008. 
• The Senate budget is not at that level. 
• The House budget amount is fair. It will keep funding level for the remainder of the biennium. 
• State employees already are paying more for health insurance; it will not roll back the increases in premiums, co-pays, deductibles and other point-of-service costs that took effect Jan. 1, 2010. 
• State employees have sacrificed more than $1 billion in lost cost-of-living adjustments, health insurance costs, pension contributions and jobs. 
• It’s time to raise revenue and close loopholes, not cut health care!