Thursday, July 02, 2009
Benefits and Dangers in Federal Health Care Reform
In cooperation with our allies at the national level, we are closely following the important health care reform legislation that is evolving in Congress. Committees in both the House and the Senate with jurisdiction over the legislation will return to action next week under pressure to make final decisions and bring a bill to the full body for a vote by August. Employers should understand the significant issues under consideration and communicate with their Senators and Representative before the train leaves the station:
- Multiple Committees: Three committees in the House have introduced a health care proposal. In the Senate, separate bills are being developed by the Senate Finance Committee and the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP). Each bill is massive, lacking in key details (such as financing), and uncertain in cost (other than large). Cost controls are weak.
- Benefits: The bills offer the possibility of establishing a national framework for health care, including expanding access for low income individuals, subsidies for families up to three or four times the federal poverty guidelines, tax credits for small businesses, and requirements for individuals to purchase health insurance.
- Dangers: All of the usual job-killing employer mandates that you have seen in recent state legislation – and more, including: pay or play, payroll tax, minimum employer subsidy levels for coverage, “free-rider” penalties, increased grounds for lawsuits against providers and employers for adverse plan decisions, ERISA floor of 250 for self-funded plans, “public plan” option, and health insurance exchanges.
- Recap Chart: See a chart summarizing the three plans.
- Alert: Use the U.S. Chamber toolkit to contact your Senators and Representative.
For more information, contact Ron Wineholt at .
