Nov. 20th Rally and Sample E-mail

Dear President Coleman/Provost Courant:

I am writing to voice my concern about attempts to erode employee health care benefits. The University of Michigan has long been regarded as one of the best employers in the state. However, that reputation is in danger as the University attempts to shift the costs of insurance premiums, co-pays, and deductibles to its employees. For example, the outsourcing of employee prescription drug benefits to Advance PCS one year ago has resulted in increased costs and reduced quality of benefits for employees.

As you know, the University is currently attempting to shift the costs of health insurance premiums to it employees. These cost-shifts will make health insurance unaffordable for many employees and their families. Furthermore, employees with medical needs will be overwhelmingly and unfairly burdened by increasing out-of-pocket expenses.

It is well documented that health insurance costs are increasing rapidly. As a provider of health insurance, the University’s position affords it an excellent opportunity to closely examine these increasing costs. Yet, instead of actively mobilizing its policy, research, and medical resources to seek long-term solutions to health insurance costs, the University has chosen to address the problem with short-term, cost-shifting solutions. Worst of all, the decisions to reduce health benefits were made by only a few administrators and tenured faculty. The University did not invite the community of employees most impacted by these changes to participate in the discussion. Until the situation is addressed more fairly and openly, I call on the administration to cease all reductions in health care benefits. I also urge the University to seek broader, long-term solutions to increasing health care availability.