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ObamaCare Day One: Companies are already warning about higher health-care costs.
Wall Street Journal ^ | MARCH 25, 2010

Posted on 03/25/2010 5:29:18 PM PDT by Behind Liberal Lines

Democrats dragged themselves over the health-care finish line in part by repeating that voters would like the plan once it passed. Let's see what they think when they learn their insurance costs will jump right away.

Even before President Obama signed the bill on Tuesday, Caterpillar said it would cost the company at least $100 million more in the first year alone. Medical device maker Medtronic warned that new taxes on its products could force it to lay off a thousand workers. Now Verizon joins the roll of businesses staring at adverse consequences.

In an email titled "President Obama Signs Health Care Legislation" sent to all employees Tuesday night, the telecom giant warned that "we expect that Verizon's costs will increase in the short term." While executive vice president for human resources Marc Reed wrote that "it is difficult at this point to gauge the precise impact of this legislation," and that ObamaCare does reflect some of the company's policy priorities, the message to workers was clear: Expect changes for the worse to your health benefits as the direct result of this bill, and maybe as soon as this year....

Businesses around the country are making the same calculations as Verizon and no doubt sending out similar messages. It's only a small measure of the destruction that will be churned out by the rewrite of health, tax, labor and welfare laws that is ObamaCare, and only the vanguard of much worse to come.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: caterpiller; obamacare; verizon; waytogodip

1 posted on 03/25/2010 5:29:18 PM PDT by Behind Liberal Lines
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

Hey, no problem—just get rid of a few hundred thousand employees.—Hopefully the ones with obama bumper stickers on their cars in the parking lots.


2 posted on 03/25/2010 5:33:11 PM PDT by freeangel ( (free speech is only good until someone else doesn't like what you say))
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To: freeangel

WAIT A MINUTE —

Obama said that employers health care costs would decline 3,000%, which would allow employers to give us all a raise.

The MSM never called him on that major gaffe. In more recent teleprompter talks, he said employers would save $3,000 per employee, which would allow for the raises.

Where’s my raise?

Where in the sam hill did they come up with business savings of $3,000 per employee? Now major businesses expect increased costs in the hundreds of millions?

Did Obama and his boys mess up their Excel spreadsheet?


3 posted on 03/25/2010 5:38:01 PM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: freeangel

Yes, this will be a job killer, as well as increase insurance premiums. We need to write letters to editors BEFORE the Nov. election to inform any duped voters out there.


4 posted on 03/25/2010 5:38:35 PM PDT by Sun (Pray that God sends us good leaders. Please say a prayer now.)
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

Then of course, there are the thousands of employees that will never get emails like this.

They’ll simply get a pink slip and a “Sorry”. And they’ll wonder what happened.


5 posted on 03/25/2010 5:39:04 PM PDT by I still care (I believe in the universality of freedom -George Bush, asked if he regrets going to war.)
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

Our comoany has us select out hell-thcare options in October for the following year. well-timed for a reminder to get to the polls.


6 posted on 03/25/2010 5:40:01 PM PDT by SueRae
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To: SueRae

Geez, should have proofread before posting - Our company has us select our hell-thcare options in October for the following year. Well-timed for a reminder to get to the polls in November....


7 posted on 03/25/2010 5:42:32 PM PDT by SueRae
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To: freeangel
“Hey, no problem—just get rid of a few hundred thousand employees.—Hopefully the ones with obama bumper stickers on their cars in the parking lots.”

That will be the result.

I work for a small medical devices firm that will be hit by the new 2.5% tax on revenue (though I think that won't start till 2013 or 2014). That amount of money is about 45% of our R&D budget.

I'm sure there will be a few R&D projects canceled and the layoffs will ensue.

I'm sure the first two to go at my company will be the two people who dressed up as Palin and McCain in ridiculous outfits during our 2008 Halloween party. I know the CEO was not happy about that as were any Conservatives at my company. Most of the people at my company loved 0 ... but now, not so much.

8 posted on 03/25/2010 6:27:24 PM PDT by CapnJack
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

Noone remembers that it was the Feds that ruined the housing market. And when it collapsed people were happy to let the Feds come in and rescue them. The same thing is about to happen with O’scare. This was all done by design. Take down the industry so you can take it over. We have seen more fascism in the last 18 months than anytime in my lifetime.


9 posted on 03/25/2010 6:29:11 PM PDT by douginthearmy
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

What are the corporations whining about? I didn’t see any of them doing anything positive>


10 posted on 03/25/2010 7:10:24 PM PDT by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

I’m an employer. We are not hiring and will continue to downsize our business. we were 30% down last year and continuing to fall. Obummer is destroying American business.


11 posted on 03/25/2010 7:33:07 PM PDT by ncfool (The new USSA - United Socialst States of AmeriKa. Welcome to Obummers world.)
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