FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, April 10, 2017
Media Contact:
Bethany Khan ▪ BKhan@culinaryunion226.org ▪ (702) 387-7088
Statement by Geoconda Arguello-Kline, Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Union regarding AB382:
Surprise bills from hospitals are a major concern for working families. Patients are being charged outrageous amounts when they end up in a non-contracted hospital or use a contracted facility, but get care from a non-contracted doctor.
This is a growing issue that must be addressed because patients have little or no control over where and who will care for them in an emergency situation.
It’s irrational to expect a patient that has just been in a major car accident to ask the EMTs to “please take me to a contracted hospital.” That patient needs immediate care and shouldn’t be exposed to debilitating surprise bills for receiving it in an emergency.
The Culinary Health Fund, which is sponsored by the union and Las Vegas-area employers, provides health insurance coverage for over 143,000 Nevadans. Through the health fund, the Culinary Union is one of the largest healthcare consumers in the state.
Surprise bills can bankrupt working families and that is wrong. Limiting how much hospitals can charge in these situations will protect workers and all Nevadans from price gouging and we believe that AB382 does just that.
We fully support this bill and applaud Assemblywoman Maggie Carlton and the cosponsors for addressing this important issue.
- Geoconda Arguello-Kline, Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Union
ABOUT THE CULINARY UNION:
Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165, Nevada affiliates of UNITE HERE, represent over 57,000 workers in Las Vegas and Reno, including at most of casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip and in Downtown Las Vegas. UNITE HERE represents 270,000 workers in gaming, hotel, and food service industries in North America.
The Culinary Union is Nevada’s largest immigrant organization with over 57,000 members - a diverse membership that is approximately 55% women and 56% Latino. Members -who work as guest room attendants, bartenders, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellmen, cooks, and kitchen workers- come from 167 countries and speak over 40 different languages. The Culinary Union has been fighting for fair wages, job security, and good health benefits for working men and women in Nevada for over 82 years.
The Culinary Union encourages the public to stay away from Nevada hotels and casinos involved in active labor disputes such as most of the Station Casinos properties, including Palms, Red Rock Resort, and Green Valley Ranch. (We note that the company’s Boulder Station and Palace Station do not currently have a labor dispute.) To see the list of hotels and casinos in an active labor dispute, go to: VegasTravelAlert.org.
CulinaryUnion226.org / @Culinary226
###