Gee, What A Surprise... (Firms find ways around Mass. state health law)

wizbangblog.com ^ | December 24, 2007 | Jay Tea

[visualops]

Moore said he had heard of similar cases. "If it's a few employers, we could publish a list of the folks using different schemes to avoid their responsibility and let their customers know," he said.
Healthcare advocate John McDonough has another suggestion: Charge those companies a large fee if many of their employees get state-subsidized insurance.

Blackmail and extortion. How wonderful.

[GregoryFul]

Romney, and MA, in a direct way, found a way to pay for federal government mandated "health care to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay."

Other states are either hiding the item in the general budget, or running up a deficit.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

I just wonder how long it will take companies to realize that if employees need expensive, long term care in hospital, it will be cheaper to make it worth their while to receive health care in Mexico.

That is, a group of corporations with lots of employees could set up a hospital and surrounding residences in Mexico. Then as part of their health care plan have relocation of the long term expensive care employee, and possibly even his family if they desire.

It is a numbers game. Say the estimated cost of treatment in the US is $500,000, but in Mexico is only $200,000 for the same or better quality care. Even if other employee costs, relocation costs and other benefits cost another $100,000, the company will save $200,000 in the deal.

As incentive to the employee, they might offer a bonus for them to relocate. But the bottom line would be that they would be taken out of the expensive health care system and placed in one that was far less expensive to the company.

[ImaGraftedBranch]

I've seen laws that were stupifying in their naivete being passed, as with this law, and then when the loopholes were immediately exploited, the pols show/feign surprise.

Feign is the correct term. No advocate is required when the devil passes the laws..!

[AnimalLover]

PING

[eyedigress]

funny they don’t mention the most obvious solution to this for companies: pay for employees elsewhere

I believe that is the next option. That's why socialists want the power in Washington. It will remove the borders of law.

[socialismisinsidious]

Socialized Medicine aka Universal Health Care PING LIST

FReepmail me if you want to be added to or removed from this ping list.

[long hard slogger]

“The original idea behind Massachusetts’ ‘health insurance for all’ plan was a fine, noble one.”

Government sponsored coercion is fine and noble?
Are we differently defining those words now?