So, now that Obamacare has met the...

[BlueStreak]

....initial goal;

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinio...wpmk=MK0000203

And before you get started with the "Yeah, sure, buy it or get fined!" meme, consider this;

Is the fine greater than the cost of enrolling?

Dave

[BlueStreak]

For me, using this calculator, http://taxpolicycenter.org/taxfacts/acacalculator.cfm , it would be; $579.

Dave

[BlueStreak]

My premiums, according to this calculator,

http://myvirginiainsurance.com/obama...care-act-cost/

would be; $4662/year for the "Silver" plan.

Seems to me it would be a damn sight cheaper to just pay the fine, if I were to refuse to sign up.

Dave

[BlueStreak]

BTW, the last estimate I got from my employer is that their healthcare costs exceeds $1000/month per employee.

That's $12,000/year on average. More than twice the "Obamacare" rate for me.

Hmmmmmm......?

Of course so long as they continue to pay it, I'll continue to let them. Although it makes no sense for them to do so.

Dave

[hillbilly]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

BTW, the last estimate I got from my employer is that their healthcare costs exceeds $1000/month per employee.

That's $12,000/year on average. More than twice the "Obamacare" rate for me.

Hmmmmmm......?

Of course so long as they continue to pay it, I'll continue to let them. Although it makes no sense for them to do so.

Dave

I agree with what you say. But wonder about what folks will do if their company drops insurance on them. Many can not caugh up insurance on their own and I'm sure if a company drops the insurance they aren't going to give the employee a raise to help him/her afford it. I'd say many would have to go with the fine and hope they don't fall ill. Sad but I've heard an employer speaking of covering the fine to save money by dropping employee coverage.

Sorta like my future son inlaw. Good kid, graduated highschool.. no money for college and found a job 44 miles away. Fast pace work making automotive parts.. they pay under 9.00 but said ''no worries, you can still earn a good living because we work 7/12's.'' How sweet.

[BlueStreak]

Yeah, it is funky in that way and not what I would like to have seen. Even in my case, it would cost me a LOT more if my employer were to drop me, as I only pay $22/week under my employer provided plan.

But, I would have to say;

If the employer chooses to drop employee coverage, or only pays people <$9/hour and works them 7/12s, that is a problem that stems from the employer, not the government.

See, the thing is, I don't buy the whole "the employer is never at fault" narrative. I don't believe for one second that every choice they make is "out of their hands" or even justified for that matter. I believe some of the things they do just because they can and there is no countervailing pressure anymore.

It's a sad state of affairs, really.

Dave

[donquixote99]

Employeers do things for all kinds of perverse reasons. They even loose money deliberately; I saw it done. Worked for a unit under a BIG corporate umbrella. It was sort-of stand-alone, but then there was a change-up and it was put under the purview of a unit headquartered up Cleveland away. The managers there didn't like commuting here every so often, so the implemented policies designed to cause the unit to loose money, so they could close it.

[BlueStreak]

Anyhow, my point was that the law does, technically, reduce premium costs. Taken at face value, my premiums now are ~$900/month. Under Obamacare they would be less than half that. The difference is that, currently, my employer does pay the lions share of my premiums. If I had to choose between paying the total cost of my coverage, or switching to Obamacare, it would be a no brainer.

Dave

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

Employeers do things for all kinds of perverse reasons. They even loose money deliberately; I saw it done. Worked for a unit under a BIG corporate umbrella. It was sort-of stand-alone, but then there was a change-up and it was put under the purview of a unit headquartered up Cleveland away. The managers there didn't like commuting here every so often, so the implemented policies designed to cause the unit to loose money, so they could close it.

So have I. I worked for a company that got caught trying to bankrupt themselves, so they could get bailout money. It didn't fly and the CEO was charged with fraud. Although the board got him off the hook by offering to "fire" him. Which meant he was essentially paid $14 million to retire.

Dave

[hillbilly]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

Yeah, it is funky in that way and not what I would like to have seen. Even in my case, it would cost me a LOT more if my employer were to drop me, as I only pay $22/week under my employer provided plan.

But, I would have to say;

If the employer chooses to drop employee coverage, or only pays people <$9/hour and works them 7/12s, that is a problem that stems from the employer, not the government.

See, the thing is, I don't buy the whole "the employer is never at fault" narrative. I don't believe for one second that every choice they make is "out of their hands" or even justified for that matter. I believe some of the things they do just because they can and there is no countervailing pressure anymore.

It's a sad state of affairs, really.

Dave

Yes it is. My son is 20, and before he was born I gave up a job I loved so I could work somewhere with insurance. I started a new job that offered insurance ( 35.00 every two weeks for family plan ) and also made 10.05 an hour my first year. That was 20 years ago and the local places now hire for less. Something so wrong, folks can't get anywhere like that.