Obamacare Reaming

[Grog]

So I find out today that my employer is totally skimping out on our insurance this year.

Huge changes, all directly attributed to .... You guessed it! Obamacare.

Seems the government considers our plan, where I pay in just shy of $300.00 every other week, with a high deductible, to be one of the 'Cadillac' plans. Obamacare would have taxed our plan at 40%! O.o

So the corporation said, 'f that!' They cut bennies so they don't have to pay the increase the insurance company was going to hand us plus a 40% tax on top of it. Don't really blame them either. I wouldn't have paid a 40% increase.

$39,000,000,000 of Obamacare's funding was supposed to come from taxes on the 'Cadillac' plans. Instead, their freaking tax cost me the OK benefits I had and they will get zero taxes from that source now.

I lose my dental and vision insurance to boot.

Way to go Obongo!

[Grog]

Not my boss' decision. It is a very large corporation (15,000+ employees) and the decision came from way above him.

[k-os]

Grog, I have read several stories and heard podcasts that have said the same thing as you described.

Now I wonder, if large corporations are making smart moves like this (smart for them, crappy for you, I know) . . . where do you think the funding is going to come for Obamacare? Ugh. I keep thinking it will be halted before it gets started, but I guess that would make me optimistic, and that just doesn't seem right.

[Grog]

I keep thinking it will be halted before it gets started, but I guess that would make me optimistic, and that just doesn't seem right.

Our bennies are being phased out. Dental and optical are gone this year. The PPO is gone in a few years. I think upper mgt. is hoping Obamacare gets halted too. I can't wait till next week when we get the official package details. Last year I was pissed that my stuff got reduced again but the plan for California employee's didn't. Guess where the corporate office is?

I'm curious to see if they keep the California plans as-is again.

[Libertytree]

The small biz I worked for in Fl dropped all insurance for everyone and said outright it was because of Ocare.

[Joe King]

Why would anyone think companies wouldn't do this? All they do is find ways to mitigate and/or pass along their costs.

[chad]

my wife is high level hr for a company you'd recognize if i named it. her opinion is that almost all companies will eliminate it before it is fully implemented in 2014. in her words, "use it now if you need it."

[Grog]

Why would anyone think companies wouldn't do this? All they do is find ways to mitigate and/or pass along their costs.

The POTUS didn't think it would happen...

But to answer your question, folks didn't think corps would behave that way because they are either inexperienced or ignorant. I chalk Obama's up to a little of both. Maybe a bit of arrogance and greed to top it off.

If I were in charge of the corp I work for, I would have done the same thing facing a 40% tax hike. Normally, they bitch about 5-10% rate increase by the insurance companies. 40% is absurd and a no-brainer decision for the big-wigs to make.

[Joe King]

The POTUS didn't think it would happen...Then I suppose that makes him either an idiot or a liar, then doesn't it? Choice as to which is yours.



But to answer your question, folks didn't think corps would behave that way because they are either inexperienced or ignorant. I chalk Obama's up to a little of both. Maybe a bit of arrogance and greed to top it off.I never saw any reason that ever made me think they wouldn't act that way. Then again I assume that it's common knowledge that all any company can do is to pass along and/or mitigate their costs.
I mean, what else can they do? Do most people think a "money" printing press comes along with all business licenses?
ie the $ gotta come from somewhere.



If I were in charge of the corp I work for, I would have done the same thing facing a 40% tax hike.Apparently you're one of the smart ones.



Normally, they bitch about 5-10% rate increase by the insurance companies. 40% is absurd and a no-brainer decision for the big-wigs to make.Exactly my point. I'm amazed there are people who couldn't "get" that.

[Spectrism]

I saw a news report on liar TV that the tax bracket for married couples earniong over $70k will go from 15% to 25% next year.

As I recall, Obama said only the rich would see increased taxes. I am now officially rich. Obama is a big turd.

[chad]

Still sounds too me like they are cutting benefits and pocketing the money and want to use Obamacare as the scapegoat.

Unless corporate is willing to pay you the money they currently pay out for benefits which they will no longer have to pay once they cut them, you need to face the facts that you are taking a big pay cut and corporate is getting a big expense cut.

that's exactly what they're doing. it's called "earnings per share." (i know you knew that already cobalt, i just wanted to be a smartass ;)

[Grog]

As I recall, Obama said only the rich would see increased taxes. I am now officially rich. Obama is a big turd.

They like to use words like 'rich' and 'Cadillac plan'. Those terms are very subjective. Now you and I get subjected to their interpretation of those subjective words.

All taxpayers will see tax increases to pay for the government's expenditures. The bill for this nonsense (out of control spending) is coming due.

It ain't looking good for an economic recovery anytime soon.

As an aside, I wonder if it was OK for them to call the insurance plans Cadillac plans because at the time Obamacare was being rolled out GM was government owned? Would have been funny to see a cease and desist order for the government to stop using their brand name in a disparaging fashion. lol Then again, that is the kind of chicanery I'd expect from Larry Flynt not GM. lol

[Joe King]

They like to use words like 'rich' and 'Cadillac plan'. Those terms are very subjective. Now you and I get subjected to their interpretation of those subjective words.They use words like that because they have to give the average the illusion that someone else will be mostly paying for thair stuff.
ie it's all about the perception of more bennies.



All taxpayers will see tax increases to pay for the government's expenditures. The bill for this nonsense (out of control spending) is coming due.
Of course it is. They've been gearing up for higher taxes in the future, for some time now.

Also, taxes are another tool for them to fight inflation with. Consider them a "mopping up" of the excess that's been created.

[big country]

Of course, get all large corps and cut/drop insurance plans and then EVERYONE will be lining up for "free" gov't care. The poor wont have insurance b/c they don't work, the "rich" won't have insurance because they work and their corps can't afford Ocare...and the Rich don't care one way or the other. Gets everyone begging for "free" healthcare....

The Corp I work for cut back what they were paying too, though they didn't blame Ocare and just blamed "aligning the business to provide affordability to our customers"

Mine went up from $54/wk to $91/wk but I have the same coverage, corp just cutting what they are contributing I guess.