Posted on 12/31/2007 1:39:05 AM PST by Caipirabob
To comply with the new state insurance law, a Burger King franchisee in Boston expanded coverage from just his salaried staff to all full-timers. To control his costs, he halved the share he pays. Only three of the 27 newly eligible employees took the insurance; others say they can't afford it. more stories like this
A large human service provider toughened eligibility for coverage in response to the new law, requiring employees to work 30 hours a week to qualify. That took away the option of work-based coverage for nearly 100 low-wage workers, but made them eligible for cheaper, state-subsidized insurance. It could reduce the company's costs while increasing the state's.
Another employer split his firm into separate corporations, each with fewer than 11 full-time employees, according to his insurance broker. That way he does not have to offer insurance, nor pay a fine.
Businesses from Boston to the Berkshires are responding to the state's landmark health insurance initiative in ways that could help it succeed - or stumble.
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
"We thought we were treating employers fairly, and I commend the overwhelming number of employers who are doing the right thing," he said. "If some are not going to respond fairly, we'll find ways to structure the law so the loopholes get closed."
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Vinfen, a 2,000-person company that runs programs for mentally ill clients statewide, took a different approach that its officers said is designed to help low-wage workers. New employees now have to work 30 hours a week to qualify for insurance, up from 20.
"It's not a knee-jerk effort to reduce our costs," said Tim De Araujo, vice president of human resources. "By denying them eligibility to our plan, we gave them eligibility to the state plan. We felt this was the right thing to do."
...
Some additional public money is coming from companies required to pay fines of $295 per employee under the law because they don't offer insurance.
Northeast Knitting Mills, a small sweater factory in Fall River, dropped coverage in February because the fourth-generation family owners could no longer afford it, said president Dan Reitzas. He will pay a $13,000 fine, which is about 6 percent of his expenses, he said, but far less than the $50,000 he was paying for insurance. He is helping employees get a tax break on privately purchased insurance.
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I can't understand why Mitt Romney is even considered a Republican. Let the man enjoy a peaceful retirement with his beautiful family or return to his business.
Whatever that business is, it should not consist of representing the American people as President.
No, I don't hate Mitt because he's a Mormon. I despise Mitt's policies and propensity to forward corrupted "big government in your pocket" programs that will leech the very soul of our nation if he gains power as POTUS.
The man needs to be sent home.
Dictator-Romney signs his RomneyCARE (=HillaryCARE) socialized medicine
surrounded by beaming Democrats who cannot believe their luck at having such a fine RINO.
Sen. John Kerry to Don Imus: "I like this health care bill".
Sen. Hillary Clinton: "To come up with a bipartisan plan in this polarized environment is commendable."
It's so freaking simple. Congress, shut off the lights and go home permanently. There is not a single citizen who would not benefit from that action. Not one. Then we can start over and elect people of principle. Honest, faithful, ordinary people.
Kerry, Imus and Hitlery, go to hell. Teddy, you go too. All of ya. Take a long walk on a short pier.
An MIT graduate student who happened to hear me criticize the mASS. insurance plan explained to me that none of these things could be happening because all the models of the MIT professors that built the plan showed they wouldn’t happen. He insists these are just media fabrications or short-term idiosyncracies. So much for the ‘brains’ at MIT.
My parents' doctor told me that one of his patients signed up for a new plan which allowed him to use any doctor of his choice. When the doctor billed the plan for an extensive visit, the plan said we'll only pay you $22, take it or leave it.
The doctor said he couldn't continue to provide service for $22, so the patient now has to find someone who will. Great plan, huh?
In my firsthand experience, only once that I can remember in the past 10 years or more, I visited the emergency room for leg pain. They took xrays and couldn't find anything wrong with me. I had to pay the $100 deductible up front. Now the hospital is sending me hundreds of dollars of bills that my plan refused to pay, for the xrays.
So my employer pays premiums for years, I deduct premiums from my paycheck for years, and I finally actually visit the hospital once, and now I am stuck with half the bills. Great plan, huh?
I shudder to think of HillaryCare.
Also, I might add, millions of illegal immigrants and welfare poor continue to swamp the emergency rooms with sick kids, pregnancies, etc, and they don’t have a plan and won’t get any bill. So I guess I am expected to pay for them with my one legitimate visit.
I feel your pain, and totally agree it is not Mass-specific.
When I broke my leg 2 years ago my insurance paid for the ER visit ($50 deductible) and the associated costs of the surgery I needed, including the anesthesiologist -- but refused to pay the surgeon, claiming the surgery was "optional" (I know that is not the proper term, but I'm drawing a blank)
The system needs fixing, but government intervention is NOT the solution, IMHO.
I totally agree that government control of healthcare will not fix the problem. What we would end up with is a two-tiered healthcare system; people with money would continue to purchase good, fast, "optional" medical care, and people with less money would wait in lines endlessly to see the remaining doctors that are willing to work for the mandated government fee. There would be waiting lines for surgery and MRI, and "optional" surgery would be denied. People with money would go ahead and get what they need.
I have seen an extreme of socialized medicine when I visited an Eastern European country about 10 years ago. Hospitals had lots of doctors and nurses, who received from $50 to $100 per month. Long lines of patients waited "patiently" in hallways to see them at no cost, but they might be there all day. There were few drugs available, antibiotics and even simple cold medicines were like liquid gold. Equipment was old and scarce. Most of the equipment they had was donated from Germany. Lots of patients lay on stretcher cots, several to a room, and they got mostly visits from family members who had to bring them food (the hospital food was horrible or unavailable). So there you have it. Medical care that is totally free for everyone, but all you get is a cot and a wet washrag. Hope you don't die.
Thank you. Yes, 'elective' was the term I was looking for, but for the life of me I continued to draw a blank.
You will not get an agrument from me in regard to your comments, I am in total agreement.
While I realize there is a need for a certain amount of government oversight in many things, including healthcare, I do not agree that government control is the way to go. As far as I'm concerned more government control will always be the problem and never the solution.
I am so weary of being lied to and having government do whatever they damn well please. Whatever happened to ‘of, by and for the people’?
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