New York State legislature considering legislation requiring companies to pay employees' health care

Associated Press via syracuse.com ^ | March 7, 2006 7:07 PM | Candice Choi

[bill1952]

LOL! Damn good point!

[Realism]

whatever big business has to pay out gets passed on to the taxpayers.

No,, It gets passed on to the consumers. Big difference!

And it's about time............

[bill1952]

I think that you meant to reply to trebb.

[js1138]

This is why so many stores and restaurants in NYC are cash only, at least in the neighborhoods.

[Realism]

Oops... Yep....

[TChris]

Assuming companies are still turning a profit even with the extra cost, why would they leave?

That's a big assumption these days. Health insurance costs can easily break a marginally profitable business.

Wal-Mart probably won't leave, but this law would force them to raise their prices for everyone.

People really need to stop thinking of paid health care as a universal right. It isn't. The fascist and/or socialist leanings of our elected officials come crawling out of the woodwork when this subject comes up.

[mlc9852]

For bigger profits somewhere else maybe?

[Realism]

This should drive down costs by dramatically increasing participation. If the insurance co's don't take the money and run.

[capydick]

Wal-Mart, under attack for its health-care coverage for its employees, last month said it plans improvements that would include expanding the availability of its lowest cost plan and shortening the waiting periods to enroll part-time workers and their children.

What if Wal-Mart formed the Wal-Mart Group Insurance Company and became their first customer? Just think of the implications!

[HEY4QDEMS]

I wonder if that's who is pushing for this?

Not as much as BCBS is pushing for it.

[pabianice]

Woo-Hoo! Another "Blue" state approaches extinction!

[Steve_Seattle]

This bill is not even consistent with the ethics of the left. It leaves out virtually every fast-food and restaurant worker, not to mention the employees of other (relatively) small businesses (100 employees is not that small). If health care is a fundamental right, it is the reponsibility of government, not selective big business. It's a BS bill put forth by BS, grandstanding legislators.

[OldFriend]

Lower pay and fewer jobs as a consequence.

[Steve_Seattle]

"People really need to stop thinking of paid health care as a universal right."

This bill doesn't even do that - tens of thousands of people still wouldn't have health care under this law. It's just a stick-it-to-WalMart law. If they believe health care is a universal right, they should have the government pay for it, not foist it off on {some} businesses.

[bill1952]

I forgot to add that I agree with your point.

[doc30]

Agricultural and manufacturing sectors would be exempt from the bill.

That's liberal hypocracy at it's worst. Why excempt anyone from such a bill. Answer: it's the nail Wal-mart (i.e. retailer) bill. With more and more manufacturing going overseas, that leaves service and retail left as the primary private sector employers. They want the cashiers to make money like the UAW workers do in order to generate the tax base they are losing and to cut the expense of having the government provide benefits. Hope this bill, if passed, gets thrown out as a bill of attainer.

[dagogo redux]

Well, among the many OTHER ways this is a bad idea, this will also push more companies to investigate and restrict off-duty "At Risk" behaviors, like smoking, drinking, drug abuse, dietary indiscretion, lack of exercise, unprotected sex, gay sex, sex with multiple partners, driving without a helmet, traffic violations, buying and keeping hazardous home chemicals, buying and keeping firearms, owning power tools, skateboarding, mountain climbing, hang gliding, skiing, boating, travel to Third World and Moslem countries, riding or flying with a Kennedy, etc. As long as we're not paying for our own health care, the people who are Business or government) have a right to become very intrusive and coercive in demanding we keep costs down by eliminating such behaviors.

[redgolum]

This will be interesting in a sick way.

If the employers are made to pay the health care, will taxes be reduced by a like amount?

[TChris]

This bill doesn't even do that - tens of thousands of people still wouldn't have health care under this law. It's just a stick-it-to-WalMart law. If they believe health care is a universal right, they should have the government pay for it, not foist it off on {some} businesses.

I agree. But this kind of legislation is a consequence, at least partly, of the attitude I describe among the public. If more Americans thought of health care as one of their own expenses and responsibilities, I'm convinced that most of our problems in that regard would disappear.

[sono]

NY's response to a $46Billion dollar medicaid bill ... sock it to the employers. Limbaugh predicted that in ten yrs, FL will have more electoral votes than NY. This may accelerate the process.