NRF: Senate healthcare reform bill will threaten retail jobs

Washington, D.C. The National Retail Federation said Friday it is disappointed in the Senate healthcare reform bill introduced by Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

“This bill will not deliver the lower-cost and better-quality healthcare and insurance coverage that retailers have called for,” NRF VP and employee benefits policy counsel Neil Trautwein said. “In fact, it will increase costs and threaten retail jobs. The Senate should go back to the drawing board.”

Trautwein said that the NRF could have supported the bill had it expanded on the positive reform elements and avoided the employer mandate and public plan provisions. “NRF will continue to work to improve the bill during the Senate debate,” he added. “But should the bill remain in its current form or add additional troublesome provisions, we would have no choice but to oppose it and key vote against final passage.”

The Senate is scheduled to hold a procedural vote this weekend on whether to begin debate on healthcare reform, using an unrelated House bill as a “shell” vehicle to move forward. If Saturday’s vote is approved, Reid’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is expected to be substituted for the text of the House bill before debate begins in earnest after Thanksgiving.