>> This does both.
It may level the playing field, although I doubt it. But I really don't see how it will cut costs. Principally, if I understand it, it taxes benefits such has HSAs and flexible spending accounts, which are technically unnecessary. It doesn't seem to me these increase the cost of health care so much as they just provide benefits are probably overkill. If you have a union member with a $30,000 family plan there is a good chance a lot of is made up by stuff that doesn't really contribute to the cost of health care.
Now, the leveling of the playing field could happen, but my guess is that the powerful employees will continue to be just as powerful and simply demand that employers suck it up and pay for the whole mess. Penalty, whatever. If they were powerful enough to get the benefits in the first place, well, there you go.
Of course, there are hedge fund managers who have the $50,000 plans and they'll just say, "Whatever."
I don't know about it. I don't see it as a positive provision given the level of new regulation it has created. As to the number of employees, just guessing, maybe 12-15%. So, that's significant imo. Maybe it isn't that many. UAW, yeah, but pipefitters, I doubt it lol. |
