Some big corporations may dump workers into health-care 'exchanges' | Midwest Voices

Some big corporations may dump workers into health-care 'exchanges' | Midwest Voices

During the health care debate, many critics charged that companies would find it's cheaper to offload their workers into the government-mandated health care exchanges and pay the required fine. Documents requesed by Congress show that some companies are thinking about doing just that.

[M]any large companies are examining a course that was heretofore unthinkable, dumping the health care coverage they provide to their workers in exchange for paying penalty fees to the government.

That would dismantle the employer-based system that has reigned since World War II. It would also seem to contradict President Obama's statements that Americans who like their current plans could keep them. And ... it would hugely magnify the projected costs for the bill, which controls deficits only by assuming that America's employers would remain the backbone of the nation's health care system.

The unintended consequences just keep rolling out of this legislative monstrosity. No wonder it remains so unpopular -- opposed by nearly 52 percent in the Real Clear Politics average.

Then there's this:

The ink was barely dry on President Obama's signature before the RAND Corporation released a report concluding that not only would the hard-won health care package fail to curb premium increases, but the bill would drive premiums up as much as 17 percent for young people.

Read more: http://voices.kansascity.com/node/8904#ixzz0nXr7xiQx