MikesVikes Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 We don't want to continue your health coverage after March of next year. The players are a piece of meat, imo. They are risking serious injury for these owners. link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delusions of grandeur Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 IF there's no CBA and a work stoppage. That doesn't seem unreasonable to me. IF that happens, then the players have certainly pulled in enough dough to where a number of insurance companies should be more than happy to write a group policy for the NFLPA with comparable premiums. Insurance is something you pay for. I'm sure they weren't just giving it away for free before to players, and I don't think this changes anything but maybe their provider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikesVikes Posted October 22, 2010 Author Share Posted October 22, 2010 The story that I read in my paper came mostly from the Union's point of view. link ST. PAUL, Minn. - With negotiations still at a standstill, the NFL players union is going to start preparing for the possibility of having its health care cut in March. During an appearance with Minnesota Vikings fans on Tuesday, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said he was working to figure out a plan to ensure medical coverage for players and their families should they be locked out by the owners. Smith said he is dealing "with players where some of them have children who need heart transplants. We have several players who have children who are on kidney dialysis. We will have over 100 players who will have children who are born in the March, April, May timeframe. Right now all of those players need health insurance." NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said it's one more reason to reach an agreement. He also pointed to the federal COBRA law that allows employees to continue their existing coverage without interruption at their own expense or the expense of their union. "This means that no player or family member would experience any change in coverage for so much as a single day because of a work stoppage," Aiello told The Associated Press in an e-mail. "The union surely knows this and there is no excuse for suggesting otherwise." During the NHL lockout in 2004-05, the NHL players' union paid for substitute coverage. That will be one of several options the union will consider as it continues to prepare for a lockout. NFL owners spoke in optimistic tones at their fall meetings last week in Chicago, with many saying they believed a new deal could be reached without a work stoppage. New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft said he wanted to get something done by the holidays and NFLPA President Kevin Mawae echoed that desire. But Smith spoke a little less glowingly on Tuesday. "From a seriousness standpoint, the players believe this lockout is going to occur," Smith said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delusions of grandeur Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 Ah, I see... With pre-existing conditions and kids on the plan, that indeed does make the situation very hairy. If that's the case, then surely the companies would allow the players to pay their own premiums, because it absolutely would not be right to take it away from them and make them have to reapply for insurance they already had. But I definitely see the concern, and hope they can do what it takes to make this a non-issue and play some damn football!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikesVikes Posted October 22, 2010 Author Share Posted October 22, 2010 (edited) Ah, I see... With pre-existing conditions and kids on the plan, that indeed does make the situation very hairy. If that's the case, then surely the companies would allow the players to pay their own premiums, because it absolutely would not be right to take it away from them and make them have to reapply for insurance they already had. But I definitely see the concern, and hope they can do what it takes to make this a non-issue and play some damn football!! Well, there is also the point of Health Insurance Portability. I did see a different angle to the story where the NFL mentioned COBRA as well. Yea, it was probably a little mis-leading with the story leaning to the side of the NFLPA boss addressing the local media. link Edited October 22, 2010 by MikesVikes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMD Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 COBRA picks up and the NFLPA can pay it for their members which is something they should do and were designed to do but this is all negotiating and posturing. I just wish they'd get the attorneys out of it and get it done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STL Fan Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 (edited) COBRA picks up and the NFLPA can pay it for their members which is something they should do and were designed to do but this is all negotiating and posturing. I just wish they'd get the attorneys out of it and get it done. Hittin' the sauce a little early, there huh DMD? Then maybe the Contract Fairies can work out the details Edited October 23, 2010 by STL Fan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rovers Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Bringing this up is typical of the idiot PR people advising the player's union. It only makes them look bad, or even stupid. COBRA covers pre existing conditions. Welcome to the world the rest of us live in. If this is an attempt to garner sympathy for the players... at least with me, it does the opposite. A lame attempt of groundless mud slinging at the owners. I'm not pro owner... yet. But if they keep doing this sort of idiotic attempt at swaying fans opinions, that might change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosGatosEnFuegos Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 COBRA picks up and the NFLPA can pay it for their members which is something they should do and were designed to do but this is all negotiating and posturing. I just wish they'd get the attorneys out of it and get it done. No attorney wants to negotiate things quickly. They bill per hour and have a vested interest in negotiations dragging out. However, other negotiators: union heads, owners' representatives, etc. also don't necessarily benefit from a fast resolution. Primarily, if union negotiators came to a fast agreement, they would be viewed [by the players] as not being worth their compensation. Every day that this drags out, the more important their position becomes, the more players believe their negotiators are doing for them, and the more they'll get in compensation [either for having done this or in the future for having stuck in there for so long and gotten whatever it is they end up getting]. Frankly, this press release is a bad move by the union. By raising this issue, they're trying to garner fan support, but there is very little to be gained by fan support IMO. The more important effect is it makes them seem weak. If they're upset about owners not paying for their health insurance, it makes it seem that it's a big deal for them to pay out of pocket. This in turn sends signals that they are resistant to a hold out, which puts them in a tougher negotiating position. But as time pressure builds, this will get resolved. If my assessment is correct, neither side stands to gain enough in these negotiations to make up for the losses that they'll incur from a lock out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMD Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 Your point is the one that terrifies me the most - the legal squads on either side have nothing to gain by resolution and they know there are some very deep pockets on either side. Why would they want to resolve this with any speed or apparent ease? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilthorp Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 Add the players bitching about playing 18 games and this is going to be one hugh cluster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby's Hubby Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 go back to leather helmets and tone down the pads. more bumps and bruises less concussions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.