How so? All of his competitors are in the same boat. Yes, it means prices will go up. But in a growing economy that doesn't hurt.
It isn't a growing economy and isn't going to be anytime soon. But that's beside the point.
It is essentially the same concept as the minimum wage, which is a proven job killer.
And it will help slow the spiraling cost of healthcare. Using the ER for primary healthcare is the most inefficient, ineffective and expensive way to do it.
This of course is not true on either point. There is absolutely no reason to think requiring employers to buy insurance will in any way reduce health care costs. That's silly.
As to using the ER for primary care, I explained this fallacy to pubo a few weeks ago and don't think I'll repeat it; suffice it to say that if you understood anything about the cost structure of running an ER you would know this is incorrect.
I would just point out that busy ERs like, e.g., Parkland, could put a free primary care clinic next door, staffed 24/7, for a relatively small amount of money -- if they chose to do so. But they don't. Why not? The reason, of course, is that there would be no savings to the ER operation.
And what taxes does he foresee? If he is taking more than $250k, that amount over that is likely to be taxed a little more. If that pays for 22 employees, then he takes home a lot of money. He shouldn't be hurting.
I think it is clear the guy was trying to hold on to his employees and see what happens in the election. He understand that with Obama being reelected, the economy is going to continue to slide, and he will be faced with tons of new operating costs.
It is common for people who have spent their lives as employees to think, if they make $20,000, that's what it cost the employer for them to be there. In reality, of course, that employee must bring some multiple of that in revenue or you can't justify having him around. If an employer can't reasonably anticipate revenue increasing, hiring must stop; if the multiple increases, as it will in the next four years, and revenue isn't increasing, some employees must go.
My BIL is an engineer for a supplier of Caterpillar and John Deere. They were told some months ago their design work would stop until after the election. My sister, at the same time, was told her job is on the line pending the acquisition of the hospital brought about by Obamacare (where she's a director of nurses).
No point in arguing it. Just watch what happens. |
