United Auto Workers members say they feel blindsided about changes to theirhealthcare coverage after General Motorsannounced Tuesdayit would no longer pay striking workers.<\/p>\n
UAW is holding out even though GM shifted the costs of striking workers'health insurance to the UAW for the time being.<\/p>\n
GM pushed back againstthe narrative that benefits are lost and that the shift was unexpected.<\/p>\n
\"Medical and prescription drug benefits are continuous, and benefits are even retroactive to the beginning of the strike for those that enroll in COBRA coverage,\" GM said in a statement.<\/p>\n
UAW blasted the moveas a way to \"leverage unfair concessions.\" They had told workers they would qualify for specified healthcare benefits available through theUAW Strike and Defense Fund at the start of the strike.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, local news outlets have covered stories like those of longtime GM employee Dennis Urbania and GM employee spouse Laura Prater.<\/p>\n
Urbania is waiting on a heart transplant and is desperately hoping he doesn't get \"the phone call\" while his insurance rolls over to the UAW.<\/p>\n
\"If I get the phone call today, I can't get the heart, I need catastrophic insurance. ...Am I upset? Yes. Am I mad? Yes, but there's a lot more stories out there than just mine,\" he told FOX17.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, Praterwoke up from stomach surgery to find she was no longer covered.<\/p>\n
\"All of a sudden I am risking getting this major hospital bill we honestly couldn't afford,\" Prater. aTennessee resident, told FOX17.<\/p>\n
\"We had no warning and in fact, I even verified last week before the surgery 'is this still a go?'\"she said.<\/p>\n
UAW insurance signups for members in Prater's area were scheduled foron Wednesday and Thursday, according to FOX17.<\/p>\n
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The longer thestrike lasts, the bigger the losses that GM will have to face. The strike could cost GM at least $77 million a day, Morningstar analyst David Whiston told FOX Business on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The strike was in its fourth day Thursday.<\/p>\n
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UAW workers claim they were blindsided by health insurance switch - Fox Business<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" United Auto Workers members say they feel blindsided about changes to theirhealthcare coverage after General Motorsannounced Tuesdayit would no longer pay striking workers. Continue reading