CA: Healthcare looms as key issue for state employers

LA Times ^ | 11/25/06 | Marc Lifsher

[NormsRevenge]

SACRAMENTO — Healthcare for millions of uninsured Californians looms as a top concern for the state's employers as Sacramento gears up for another session of the Legislature.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said this month that cutting healthcare costs and providing better care for the uninsured were top priorities for 2007. ...

--snip--

Business groups say they are wary and wonder whether employers would be asked to cover much of the cost.

In particular, they ask, who is going to pay the upward of $9-billion bill to guarantee care for the 1 out of every 6 adults and children in California who lacks health coverage?

Small-business owners, who say they can't afford to offer health insurance, gripe that they could be forced out of business if hit with an expensive mandate.

Large corporations, which are providing increasingly costly health benefits, contend that they shouldn't ante up even more in subsidies. And unions adamantly oppose raising employee co-payments and deductibles.

--snip--

Healthcare isn't the only issue for California businesses when the Legislature gets down to business in January. Large companies, particularly heavy energy users such as refineries and manufacturers, have other concerns.

They're planning to keep a close eye on how the Schwarzenegger administration will implement a landmark new law to lower the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.

Organized labor, meanwhile, wants to make adjustments to another signature Schwarzenegger law, the 2004 overhaul of California's workers' compensation insurance system.

--snip--

Employers, who have benefited from steep cuts in premiums, are nervous that any change could send costs spiraling upward once more.

But dealing with the aftereffects of the global warming and workers' comp laws should be simple compared with meeting the challenge of making health insurance more universal, many employers and unions acknowledge.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Here's an idea: Raise taxes!

[NormsRevenge]

Here's an idea: Raise taxes!

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No, can't do that!. We'll just float some more bonds and pay twice what we ought to for what we get in the end. It's part of that New Math thingy they teach in skools these dayz.. If a little debt is OK, a lot more debt will be Great! ;-)

[ridesthemiles]

As a bookkeeper for years in Kalifornia for small business owners, I would advocate them to cut jobs in direct proportion to the costs of the mandated health care.
There is a limit to how much the owner should see his capital investment get eroded by the liberal voters and the legislature of Kalifornia.

If they have 3 employees, I see one getting sacked or working only part time, during the very peak hours of the day, etc.
There has to be some backlash on all of this.
Lots of companies are moving over to Nevada for alot of reasons, and the density will drive me further east. I don't like to move again with my horses, but I understand their frustration with the state of trying to do business in Kalifornia.

[goldstategop]

There's no solution any one's going to be happy with. Health insurance in California is just expensive, no question. Healthy people don't bother. And when you do need it, pre-existing conditions are used to exclude you from obtaining coverage.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[Amerigomag]

There's no solution any one's going to be happy with.

Large, nonunion employers are going to a modified form of self insurance and small, nonunion employers are asking their employees to shoulder a greater share of the burden. The $35 office visit and $3000/yr hospitalization deductible provided by Kaiser under Tier 2 is growing in popularity with small employers.

Both large and small union employers are simply passing the cost along and screwing their consumers. Many do business with government and those increases in their health care costs are simply being paid by tax dollars spent for their product or service. Every wonder why freeway costs are over $250 million per mile and educating a youngster costs over $10K/year?

[SheLion]

In particular, they ask, who is going to pay the upward of $9-billion bill to guarantee care for the 1 out of every 6 adults and children in California who lacks health coverage?

How about the $9 billion needed to pay for all the damn illegals who have NO health care!  Is that the fault of the Californians?  NO!  But they will sure be forced to PAY for them! ugh!