Expect swift opinions in Supreme Court health care ruling

UNTFan23 · June 28, 2012

This might be a dumb question, but if Companies were going to do this, why wouldn't they have done it with or without this law?

The health insurance benefit is something that came about during the world wars as a means to recruit workers. During the world wars wages were frozen so companies looked to provide something else to recruit workers.

There has never been a requirement to provide health insurance, it was just a nice benefit companies provided their employees. Now it is a requirement however the federal government said that if a company is not going to provide health insurance the company must pay a fine to help offset some of the costs for its employees to get health insurance through the exchanges that are going to be established.

If health insurance costs prove to be too great, companies may elect to pay the fine and dump the health insurance benefit.

Edited June 28, 2012 by UNTFan23

untbowler · June 28, 2012

well I might be ok with the ruling as long as Congress amends the law and takes out the portion that exempts them and their staff. Also take away the waivers for their donor buddies businesses. Oh yeah "Read my Lips: No New Taxes" Guess that will be the new Repuglican mantra for the next 4 months.

FirefightnRick · June 28, 2012

How will Obamacare affect you? The NHS is one example.

..."Britain’s NHS nightmare: a warning to America"....

http://www.iea.org.uk/blog/britain’s-nhs-nightmare-a-warning-to-america

..."The pioneers of Britain’s welfare state may have had good intentions. By founding the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948, they hoped to improve access to treatment for the poor. But, more than sixty years on, it has become a bureaucratic monster that ranks among the worst-performing health care systems in the developed world."....

Rick

GreenMachine · June 28, 2012

If health insurance costs prove to be too great, companies may elect to pay the fine and dump the health insurance benefit.

I believe this part is a no-brainer. If the fine is less than the cost of insurance, companies will definitely drop insurance as a benefit.

CMJ · June 28, 2012

untbowler · June 28, 2012

Guess just like there will be no new taxes, there will be no premium raises for those already covered

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/what-the-supreme-court-s-ruling-means-for-consumers.html

The Fake Lonnie Finch · June 28, 2012

Love em both. How was Tesla? Do they still got it?

Rick

Yes, Tesla was great! Scorps were great as well.

meangreenacct · June 28, 2012

The health insurance benefit is something that came about during the world wars as a means to recruit workers. During the world wars wages were frozen so companies looked to provide something else to recruit workers.

There has never been a requirement to provide health insurance, it was just a nice benefit companies provided their employees. Now it is a requirement however the federal government said that if a company is not going to provide health insurance the company must pay a fine to help offset some of the costs for its employees to get health insurance through the exchanges that are going to be established.

If health insurance costs prove to be too great, companies may elect to pay the fine and dump the health insurance benefit.

My point is that as of today, there is no fine for not providing insurance. So if companies only wanted to save money, they could drop health care today and save a ton. So the only thing different will be that in the future they will be penalized for doing so. Not really sure I see this legislation as an out for companies since it would only complicate dropping insurance.

Censored by Laurie · June 28, 2012

I believe this part is a no-brainer. If the fine is less than the cost of insurance, companies will definitely drop insurance as a benefit.

The fine is less now. A lot less.

GreenMachine · June 28, 2012

The fine is less now. A lot less.

The fine piece hasn't been implemented yet.

Rudy · June 28, 2012

I have two opinions about the opinion:

(1) I already buy health insurance, so the tax would not apply to me anyway.
(2) I sell health insurance, so it will be good for my business.
(3) I saw the Scorpions last night at Verizon with Tesla as the opening act.

(4) ????????

(5) Profit

The Fake Lonnie Finch · June 28, 2012

(4) ????????
(5) Profit

(4) Sandwiches are tasty.

(5) Magic fairy dust is real.

Censored by Laurie · June 28, 2012

The fine piece hasn't been implemented yet.

So the fine is zero?!?! And yet some employers still provide insurance?

UNTLifer · June 28, 2012

http://www.politico....ing-127543.html

Head of the DNC tweets.

..."...the SCOTUS ruling, in three words, from executive director @patrickgaspard:

'it's constitutional. Bitches."....

Remind me again, which side is at war with women?

Rick

Typical comment from the left.

Nobody is at war with women's healthcare. That was just another diversion from Obama's campaign

forevereagle · June 28, 2012

So the fine is zero?!?! And yet some employers still provide insurance?

Now it is a benefit that they provide and can make them better than other prospective employers. In the future, they either have to dumb down their current benefits package or pay extra on top of the premium that they currently pay to offer top health insurance. All companies will offer the same basic plan, so you no longer have an employment advantage. If the math works, why bother offering the same thing as everyone else when your employees can (and must) go get it themselves? Look for something new to make you a better prospective employer and help your bottom line. Oh, and there will not be a concept of "I don't pay that money out, so let's give it to the employees." This saved money will go straight to profits.

Edited June 28, 2012 by forevereagle

DeepGreen · June 28, 2012

Wonder what part of the Chicago Political Mob got to Chief Justice Roberts?

GreenMachine · June 28, 2012

So the fine is zero?!?! And yet some employers still provide insurance?

Yep, just like companies provide salaries, on-site cafeteria, workout facilities, discount rates etc. Once a few major companies start dropping healthcare benefits, others will follow suit.

GreenGuy123 · June 28, 2012

It's funny how "tax" is such a bad word to some people. I remember having to pay a "tax" for Apogee Stadium to get built...and I'm pretty pleased at the way my "tax" dollars were spent...for the "greater good" of the university.

Buzz words are stupid. Maybe I'm just a dirty commie.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · June 28, 2012

It's really difficult for old, white people to accept that the country is not the way it was in 1958. I know of a few that are highly irrational about today's opinion.

The world is what it is. If America has become full of freeloaders, that's just the way it is. My life remains the same today as it was 24 hours ago. I feel sorry for people who wrap themselves up in the political.

Monkeypox · June 28, 2012

It's really difficult for old, white people to accept that the country is not the way it was in 1958. I know of a few that are highly irrational about today's opinion.

The world is what it is. If America has become full of freeloaders, that's just the way it is. My life remains the same today as it was 24 hours ago. I feel sorry for people who wrap themselves up in the political.

My life isn't the same. I'm going to be a bit poorer. Enough to hurt, but not enough to hurt so bad that it'll change how I do a whole bunch of things. I'll just have to find more ways to earn money to cover insurance or taxes, er... penalties, er... fees, er... taxes.

I'm a fairly young guy and this kinda screws me. Here I've been taking care of myself on my own dime, and my two options appear to be:

1) Pay out of pocket as I do now AND pay extra in taxes for the privilege of taking care of myself

2) Pay a ridiculous premium for a qualified insurance plan

The problem with this tax is that it doesn't provide me with anything. It's simply a gouge.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · June 28, 2012

If you've already been in the practice of buying health insurance, how are you going to be poorer? It's not like health rates were trending downward anyway.

Look, let's be realistic about all of this. Everybody knew Obama was lying when he said premiums would go down because of this bill. But, who gives a crap? Only plastic dick forks believe politicians anyway. If you thought the man was telling the truth, I want to sell you some of my ocean-front property in Nevada.

Those of us who do not freeload were alread paying for the freeloaders. And, our prices were not going down. Not even close.

This bill does no more than change the middle man a little bit. Before, middle man was insurer. Now, middle man is government and insurer - both of whom suck royally, but that's just life.

And, as for the "we're losing our freedoms/Ron Paul crowd": Call me when we're in labor camps like the North Vietnamese. Until the 16th Amendment is appealed, Congress has the ability to tax.

Edited June 28, 2012 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

oldguystudent · June 28, 2012

As a tax accountant, I looked forward to being employed forever.

Monkeypox · June 28, 2012

If you've already been in the practice of buying health insurance, how are you going to be poorer? It's not like health rates were trending downward anyway.

I don't buy health insurance. I take care of myself, work independently with doctors, and pay out of pocket for medical expenses. I use things like Care Credit, etc. where you can put it on an interest-free credit card and pay it off in a certain time frame. I don't make a lot of money, so I have to be extra-responsible and careful with it.

This was a choice I had to make when a pre-existing condition initially knocked me out of getting coverage after I was laid off and subsequently had to move. Then, when I was again eligible, for those that the pre-existing condition didn't disqualify me, simply made up for it by having ridiculous premiums. I tried paying them for a year, but then I realized that $60 worth of lab work and $150 worth of dental visits, and $200 worth of doctor's fees a year didn't add up to $2000+ a year in premiums.

The only insurance I've debated having the last several years is catastrophic care. It's funny that everyone who lauds this says "Now you won't be crippled by the cost of having cancer/brain injury/getting mauled by a giant lobster." The reality is that while that's what insurance USED to be, these days it's a whole lot more of people wanting a $10 co-pay so they can go into the doctor because "my poop smelled funny this morning."

People really don't understand how health insurance or health care companies and professionals actually get paid. Again, I work for a health care company, bill Medicare and Medicaid and work on contracts with a county hospital. And I'll be the first to say this will change absolutely nothing about health care. It won't improve access, it won't make it cheaper, and it won't suddenly make people able to get and afford major catastrophic care.

forevereagle · June 28, 2012

The reality is that while that's what insurance USED to be, these days it's a whole lot more of people wanting a $10 co-pay so they can go into the doctor because "my poop smelled funny this morning."

That happens to me every day, but I don't go to the doctor over it.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · June 28, 2012

I don't buy health insurance. I take care of myself, work independently with doctors, and pay out of pocket for medical expenses. I use things like Care Credit, etc. where you can put it on an interest-free credit card and pay it off in a certain time frame. I don't make a lot of money, so I have to be extra-responsible and careful with it.

This was a choice I had to make when a pre-existing condition initially knocked me out of getting coverage after I was laid off and subsequently had to move. Then, when I was again eligible, for those that the pre-existing condition didn't disqualify me, simply made up for it by having ridiculous premiums. I tried paying them for a year, but then I realized that $60 worth of lab work and $150 worth of dental visits, and $200 worth of doctor's fees a year didn't add up to $2000+ a year in premiums.

The only insurance I've debated having the last several years is catastrophic care. It's funny that everyone who lauds this says "Now you won't be crippled by the cost of having cancer/brain injury/getting mauled by a giant lobster." The reality is that while that's what insurance USED to be, these days it's a whole lot more of people wanting a $10 co-pay so they can go into the doctor because "my poop smelled funny this morning."

People really don't understand how health insurance or health care companies and professionals actually get paid. Again, I work for a health care company, bill Medicare and Medicaid and work on contracts with a county hospital. And I'll be the first to say this will change absolutely nothing about health care. It won't improve access, it won't make it cheaper, and it won't suddenly make people able to get and afford major catastrophic care.

I agree with 100% of what you say, especially about the hypocondriacs and their desire for cheap co-pays. Nothing really changes. So, it's hard for me to get worked up about it. It's more Democrats versus Republican garbage. People have got to outgrow it.