At Bank of America, a new way to pay for health insurance

Charlotte Observer ^ | Jul. 02, 2010 | Rick Rothacker

[brytlea]

I know this is a little old (from last Friday) but I think this is the sort of thing we will be seeing more of, as businesses try to continue to cover employees in uncertain times. Obama promised we would be able to keep our coverage if we liked it. Doesn't seem so true to me.

[Pearls Before Swine]

From each according to his means, to each according to his needs.

[goodnesswins]

Not based on use....? That’s idiotic. I can see helping to “subsidize” some....but, to penalize some for their efforts is, well, commie.

[brytlea]

Exactly.

[dragonblustar]

It’s already happen at my husband’s company.

[brytlea]

Yes. Soon you will go into the store, and they will charge you based on how much you make. You make more money? That head of lettuce will cost you more. It’s insane. It’s redistribution of wealth, pure and simple.

[April Lexington]

The employer/employee relationship is a contractual relationship. One would hope companies still have the freedom to contract with employees. If they chose to subsidize lower paid employees, what is that to us? Its their money and they can do what they want with it. Remember... companies are private property. Not governments.

[brytlea]

Companies can be forced to make decisions based on government policies. Do you believe otherwise?

[SMARTY]

Beat me to it

[benewton]

For now.

Note GM...

[BigBobber]

BofA is responding to public policy. ObamaCare is changing the employer-employee relationship - in this case shaping it into something that looks a lot like socialism. That’s why it’s of interest to us.

[avacado]

Ahhh yes! Punish success!

[April Lexington]

B of A is not being forced to do this (yet). They are making internal cost reduction decisions that basically say... if we pay you lots of money, you have to pay more each month for health care. Nobody is burdened because they are happy to make lots of money and, frankly, the premium is chump change. My point is, we don;t want government dictating this kind of policy to businesses. We have the right to pay people what we want to pay them. Remember the parable of the vineyard owner who hired people throughout the day and then paid them all the same wage at the end of the day? The take away was that the business owner and the worker have the FREEDOM to contract as they see fit. if some think its “not fair”.... well, too bad. Freedom of contract is critical to our survival as a free nation. Unless the government is mandating such schemes, its not a story and not worth fighting about...

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Next, they’ll have BofA cardholders pay interest according to their income, not their creditworthiness.

[April Lexington]

You are overly paranoid on this one. This practice has been going on for decades... BUT... your paranoia is valid and I can see how Fedgov would like to interfere with contact rights all day long. Better to be vigilant, as you are...

[Cyrano]

That’s the way it is at my current client. But they’re owned by a British company, so several things are a little off IMO.

[brytlea]

Not a story? Believe what you like.

[April Lexington]

This story is simply not news. Companies have been doing this for years and will likely continue to do so until the health care system collapses in 2014...

[brytlea]

I think it’s interesting that you think you somehow decide what is and isn’t news. But thank you. Otherwise the rest of us would be totally uninformed. Or is that overly informed?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

"From each according to their abilities and skin color, to each according to their need and skin color."