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The way private companies are approaching this shift in health coverage is similar to what Congressman Ryan proposed, a premium support subsidy for Medicare - by the companies in this case, by the federal government in Ryan's proposal.
What is ironic is the administration and its supporters, who loudly and viciously attacked Ryan's proposal as unfair....., are effectively forcing the same model onto the millions of low wage employees, via the health exchanges. buy your coverage through the exchanges and we'll supplement your premium.
A hundred bucks a month premium will not buy much in the way of coverage, btw.
Having visited the health exchanges (for a friend), they low premiums seem to invariably accompany high deductibles. Virtually non-insurance for low-wage workers, with $5000 and even $10000 deductibles.
Oh, I get that. I'm simply pointing out how subsidies and their adequacy can be ugly in the instance of Congressman Ryan's Medicare proposal and beautiful in the eyes of the pwogs/neo-libs, when it is their baby.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HappyTexan
That is just what the individual has to outlay. The rest of the premium is subsidized by Uncle Sam.
Exactly my point. As a small business owner, in very good health, I understand the low cost/high deductibility insurance business model. Until the feds outlaw health insurance profit - can that be far down the rode? - they still have a business model to support.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DC at the Ridge
Having visited the health exchanges (for a friend), they low premiums seem to invariably accompany high deductibles. Virtually non-insurance for low-wage workers, with $5000 and even $10000 deductibles.
I want to assure all of my friends and foes here that I am not changing my conservative stripes, but that is sooooo unfair. Just hear a high pitch shrill pwog whine for the bolded part of the preceding sentence.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Delahanty
Strange, though, how the unions, Congress, and over 2000 businesses who requested (and received) waivers seemed to mind.
Obama's never going to be able to live down the fact that so many want out of his big plan.
That is just what the individual has to outlay. The rest of the premium is subsidized by Uncle Sam.
The Walgreens employees are not going on the public exchanges but on private exchanges that are similar to Obamacare ones. There is no subsidy from the taxpayer though. Completely different in that respect. It is a positive development. Instead of employees getting whatever plan HR negotiates for the company, they will now go to a private exchange and pick a plan that suits them best. When individuals start making their own health insurance decisions instead of relying on their employer, there will be competition for enrollees and costs will come down.
The latest victims of Obamacare. Look what those meanies at Walgreens did...from Bloomberg - "About 160,000 Walgreen employees now have to choose which coverage plan suits them best at a time of rising complexity in the health-care system. While Walgreen said it will provide funding in 2014 equal to what workers get now, the move curtails uncertainty on future outlays, and there’s no guarantee its contribution will rise if premiums do."
Walgreens will provide funding for their employees, but at a fixed rate. As health care costs go up, it will be up to the employee to cover the difference. So Walmarts joins the growing list of companies shifting the burden of healthcare onto their employees and the government.
Who could have seen this coming, eh? We'll have to start a sticky soon of all the people who’ve lost their health coverage due to wonders of Obamacare.
Why should it be a problem? If companies can do this, it will reduce their operating expenses of employers dramatically. I hope the exchanges stir up competition and bring down the prices and in process reduce the burden on employers. One of the main arguments over the last decade for a HC reform has been the skyrocketing cost to the employers, and this could make a huge impact in the right direction.
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