Study Points to Health Law’s Penalties

ny times ^ | 5/24/10 | Robert Pear

[Nachum]

WASHINGTON — About one-third of employers subject to major requirements of the new health care law may face tax penalties because they offer health insurance that could be considered unaffordable to some employees, a new study says.

The study, by Mercer, one of the nation’s largest employee benefit consulting concerns, is based on a survey of nearly 3,000 employers.

It suggests that a little-noticed provision of the law could affect far more employers than Congress had assumed.

[Nachum]

The list, ping

High volume ping list.

Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list

[vaudine]

As Pelosi said, after it is signed, we find out what is in it. Funny thing, though, many of us knew the findings would not be good.

vaudine

[Uncle Ike]

” they offer health insurance that could be considered unaffordable to some employees “

Nothing new there - when I worked for a certain Big Box Home Improvement Retailer (ahem, think orange), it would have cost me 1/3 of my takehome pay to buy into their “industry-leading” health insurance plan...

Since I have this irrational preference for sleeping indoors, and eating, I passed....

[DonaldC]

Basically, they are saying to business, “thou shalt subsidize insurance.”

[colorado tanker]

Of course this provision was “little noticed.” Nobody who voted on the damn thing had even read it.

[Angry_White_Man_Syndrome]

it would have cost me 1/3 of my takehome pay to buy into their “industry-leading” health insurance plan

That is part of the problem. The states have required that insurance policies cover such a wide variety of things by law. This drives up prices for the insurance and those costs are passed on to the employee or consumer. Now if insurance policies could be designed to address each employees need the costs could be reduced greatly. A good example of this is the requirement to cover birth control. The elderly and faithful Catholics do not need BC coverage, but the law mandates it.

[Grams A]

I have had an individual policy for years - no maternity benefits, no AIDS treatment, no mental health, drastically limited chemo benefits, no plastic surgery, large deductible. Never signed up for Medicare although eligible. Recd notice from them that as of 1/1/2011 my coverage would be expanded to cover all of these and more and the premium is going to increase about four times. I have never used my insurance and negotiated a cash price with my internist for needed outpatient services. So I said no thanks!

[Grams A]

Please add me. TNX

[houeto]

So I said no thanks!

Then you will purchase Obamacare or go to jail, right?

[RikaStrom]

My company is a small company (under 50) and in Texas we are mandated by the state on our rates, there is no room for negotiating anything down. We just got our renewal, rates went up 40%, and I didn’t even use my insurance last year.

I spoke with my folks, they also own a small business, their rates are going up 80% because they are getting older.

My broker flat out said that the reason the rates were going up was the insurance companies were trying to recoup their soon-to-be-lost revenue before 2014. It’s exactly what the credit card companies did a little while back. Jack up the rates to get immediate revenue.

Just freaking unreal.

[EdReform]

BTTT

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[Nachum]

you are added.

[Lurker]

It suggests that a little-noticed provision of the law could affect far more employers than Congress had assumed.

Bull. They new exactly what they were doing.

[FourPeas]

“To measure the cost of an employee,” Ms. Austin said, “some employers will want to know the worker’s household income, so they can know whether the employee will qualify for a subsidy. If an employee is getting a subsidy, the employer might not want to keep that employee.”

And, this is what the gov't wants: stir up trouble then look like the good guy riding in to save the day by federalizing it.

[JPG]

My God, Man, how selfish can you be? Haven't you ever heard of Ramen noodles and a sleeping bag?

[ridesthemiles]

Single men must also carry coverage for pregnancy costs.

[ridesthemiles]

Nobody who voted on the damn thing had even read it.”

I have a proposal for the members of Congress who are voting on bills they have not read or that they do not understand.

1. A fine of $1,000,000 cash for each & every vote they do when they have not seen, nor read, nor understood the bill.
This money must be PERSONAL funds—no campaign money or donations to pay it.

2. Five (5) years in prison—Sheriff Joe Arpaio style—for each & every such vote.

3. Trials must be held in no less than 60 days- no delays & no staying out of prison awaiting appeals.

Each transgression to be considered separate & no serving of time ‘concurrently—must be consecutively.

I know this sounds really drastic, but voters are being snookered by expecting that the members of Congress they are placing into Washington DC really have the interests of the citizens in their hearts.

They are passing bills they have NEVER seen—have NOT read—& do NOT understand.
It is destroying the USA. We will be back into sod houses & caves & forests in the blink of an eye if this does not STOP.

[Grams A]

Then you will purchase Obamacare or go to jail, right?

I look rather smashing in stripes actually!