Press Release

Contact:David "Lockdown" Rich Public Relations Trustee, ABATE of Florida, Inc.
(386) 490-4821, FAX: 386-490-4482

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

ABATE of Florida, Inc. Questions the Impact of a
National Health Care Requirement on Motorcyclists
Deland, FL, February 1, 2010 - The past few weeks have shown many changes in the political landscape of Health Care Reform, and how the various members of the US Congress intend on voting on this issue. Many may have thought that this is now a non-issue after recent election results, but in last week's State of the Union Address President Obama said he fully intends to introduce his over 1,000 page Health Care Reform Bill once again. Although there are many important issues to consider when reviewing this huge Bill, one should rise to the top when looking at how it concerns motorcyclists across the USA: the possible requirement to purchase healthcare and if a motorcyclist involved in a crash would even be covered.

Recently, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) reminded us that "there is precedent for us to be concerned with regarding any health care legislation coming from Washington. For example in 1996, Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that was intended to ensure non-discrimination in health coverage in the group market. However, when it came to implementing the law, the Department of Labor, the Internal Revenue Service and the Health Care Financing Administration - now the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services - issued a rule allowing insurers to deny health benefits for an otherwise covered injury that results from certain types of recreational activities, such as skiing, horseback riding, snowmobiling or motorcycling."

If the US Congress adopts the current Massachusetts-type plan, U.S. citizens will be required to purchase health insurance. If not purchased, they will be FINED each year. With the fact that insurers can and do deny health care coverage for necessary medical care resulting from motorcycle accidents and other "recreational activities", everyone should be concerned. This could result in motorcyclists being required by law to purchase health insurance that won't cover them if they are involved in a motorcycle-related crash, regardless of who is at fault.
ABATE of Florida, Inc. asks the elected officials in Washington, D.C. to READ the ENTIRE BILL and fully understand how it will affect their constituents. Further, we ask that should a Health Care Reform Bill become law, all elected officials be required to partake in this Health Care Reform, instead of using their private, tax-payer-paid-for health insurance, the same one that average citizens are banned from.
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With almost 8,000 members, ABATE of Florida, Inc. is Florida's largest Motorcyclists' Rights Organization, and the fourth largest nationwide. Our missions include educating the public about motorcycle awareness and continuing to fight in Tallahassee for the rights of every motorcyclist and the public in general. To aid in these ends, we have an exclusive lobbyist and have founded the Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Program, both with the intentions to help make the roads safer for everyone.