MD's WONT ACCEPT MEDICARE HERE?!

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by JohnPF

Debates or not, facts are shameful. US is like one of the third world countries when it comes to maternity leave laws. Sure, wealthy and working ones are mostly insured, but well being of lowest income class is just smart government. One way or another we all pay for it. Good move IMHO.

But take Alaska, for example. In Alaska at least 48% of the workforce work for one government or another (Federal, State, borough, city, and so forth). Every one of these employees are mostly unionized, and covered under Bluecross/Blueshield Of Alaska. If I well remember, there are three health coverages offered, one is a basic plan, the second one is used by most workers, and then there is a higher or "gold" plan. Some of these workers earn high wages, down to somewhere around $11.00 per hour. The plan in the middle, with a deductible around $700.00 per year for a couple, will change into a "Cadillac Plan" under Obamacare.

Working at Walmart can bring $11.00 or more per hour, but most people work part-time in places like this one (also Home Depot, Fred Mayer, Safeway, etc.). If every one of these workers in the private sector is forced to buy insurance, the money has to come from somewhere, and some companies won't be able to afford it. For example, for John Deere announced this week that they won't be able to keep their workforce because it would cost them 150-million per year to insure every person. It means that they plan to layoff workers in the near future.

Caterpillar and AT&T may also have to make a lot of changes as you can see here:
AT&T to Book $1 Billion Cost on Health-Care Reform (Update3) - BusinessWeek

The bottom line is that if the private sector is stressed to the point that companies have to lay people off, that affects the national economy in a negative way (higher unemployment, and less revenue).

Meanwhile, the government is growing (more employees), even in Alaska. Government employment is the only sector growing at the moment. But in some places, NYC and CA for example, have huge budget deficits already. NYC alone is scheduling a job layoff of 19,000 workers this summer.

As you can see with the healthcare bill, it has passed, but it has not been funded because there isn't any money left. There isn't a national budget surplus, but a budget deficit around 2 trillion or more the last I heard.

The same situation is happening to a lot of companies in the private sector. The way I see it, if the President and members of Congress have excluded themselves from being in this healthcare bill, it can't be good for the rest of us. I understand that it's too late now. I am only pointing out some facts.

[notreesininceland]

Ah, thanks Ray for that rote recitation of the Fox News cheat sheet.

[Grannysroost]

Originally Posted by notreesininceland

Ah, thanks Ray for that rote recitation of the Fox News cheat sheet.

Closed at the request of OP.