AMA calls for health insurance bill support
More than 100 members of the U.S. House of Representatives have co-sponsored a bill that would end health insurance discrimination against motorcyclists and others who participate in legal recreational activities or use their motorcycles for transportation, the American Motorcyclist Association said in a press release Feb. 1.
While the action is significant, there is still much work to be done, said Edward Moreland, AMA vice president for government relations.
“The AMA is calling on motorcyclists and others who face health insurance discrimination to urge their Representatives to support H.R. 1076, known as the HIPAA Recreational Injury Technical Correction Act,” Moreland said. “Time is short. The bill has broad bi-partisan support but we need 218 votes for passage. If we don’t act by April, we will likely miss our chance for legislative action in 2008.”
In the last Congress, the U.S. Senate passed a companion bill by unanimous consent, but the bigger challenge has been getting legislation approved in the House.
“We now have 101 co-sponsors for this legislation in the House, which is an important milestone,” Moreland said. “But to reach 218 votes and get H.R. 1076 passed, immediate grassroots action is crucial, especially since House members are returning to their districts soon to campaign for the fall election.”
U.S. Representatives can be contacted through AMA’s Rapid Response Center, in addition to traditional methods.
