McDonald's, 29 other firms get health care coverage waivers
 

http://www.usatoday.com/money/indust...law07_ST_N.htm

Nearly a million workers won't get a consumer protection in the U.S. health reform law meant to cap insurance costs because the government exempted their employers.

The biggest single waiver, for 351,000 people, was for the United Federation of Teachers Welfare Fund, a New York union providing coverage for city teachers.

Universal?

depends on what your definition if "is" is

It sounds to me like the waivers are a good thing...aren't they?

Looks like the Obama cronies are doing well, while the rest of us PAY.

Yeah, tough break there.

Hey! Why don't you apply for a job across the street at Burger King?

I didn't see their name on that waiver list :)
.

Yep Barry and Mickey d's are tight lol

This is yet more bullshit. Your making it sound like "the government is allowing these companies to bypass health care reform". The truth is more like if they don't do this, everyone who works for those companies will be loosing their healthcare.

Third paragraph of your article:

The Department of Health and Human Services, which provided a list of exemptions, said it granted waivers in late September so workers with such plans wouldn't lose coverage from employers who might choose instead to drop health insurance altogether.

This sounds like a good idea to me. Give them a waiver to prevent part time employees - who really don't deserve full time benefits to begin with - and allow the rest of the full time employees to keep their benefits.

Why do you twist this around saying "look what our government is doing" when the truth seems to be - from your own article - is going to keep hundreds of thousands of people in healthcare.

I love politics. "Let's take an article and make it look like the government is denying people stuff, when the truth is they are trying to save stuff".

That is what I understood the article to say...so I will repeat...the waivers are a good thing...aren't they?

The whole compcept of employer provided health care is old fashioned and really doesn't fit in with today's workforce. Sure back in the day where you were expected to work for a company for 40 years then retire, sure. Not now when the average worker can expect to have 10-12 different employers during his working years. Same thing goes for pensions. Before 401ks sure they were a good idea I suppose. The average worker has more options for investment that they did 40, 50 years ago.

did you read this

The biggest single waiver, for 351,000 people, was for the United Federation of Teachers Welfare Fund, a New York union providing coverage for city teachers.

How does that fit in with your arguement?

So exceptions are made for big businesses, but not for small businesses?

They can't afford it.

Which proves no one can

How does it prove no one can afford it?

if we could, then ask yourself why one union local would use it's influence to opt out of it?

http://static.seekingalpha.com/wp-co...ges/plavix.jpg

They should pay much more than the others, since they are probably one of the BIGgest problem.

i heard about it..

If a big city school project can't afford something that is the bar that the rest of the economy should be based on? Then we have been fucked for quite a while. :2 cents:

Because the Union has spent years dealing with insurance companies, paying rates out the ass, working the premiums down, worked for years to get the States/Cities/Local (or companies) to pay for healthcare, instead of so much being paid for by the Teacher.... Lots of reasons really.

Wait so Obamacare will make people lose their existing coverage if companies do not get waivers from the government?

Some companies who choose to offer employees health insurance will choose policies that have the least coverage permitted under law; coverage caps that are well below the new caps that take effect next year.

Without the waivers, both employees and those companies (ie. McDonald's) would have to pay far more than many have budgeted for - likely resulting in those companies dropping health care coverage.

In 2014, the waivers end - so it's only stalling for time.

The end game is government sponsored health insurance for all, because many of the alternatives will be taxed (ie. "Cadillac" plans) and/or too expensive compared to the government sponsored plans. Without some major revisions, it's likely many companies will drop health care coverage over the next few years.

To be clear, under all the current proposals, private insurance companies will still be providing the bulk of the health care coverage...

However, the big difference is what health care plans must cover (ie. more medical procedures, no pre-existing condition clauses, no caps, etc) and how the insurance plans will be packaged and sold, such as through government exchanges.

The Obama health care reform plan is not a single payer system - people will be able to choose plans / providers. And, unlike Canada and the U.K, it will not be a fully government subsidized system either.

Ron

I know I've been under several, but this is not what we were told
Basically, the unions got in Barry's back pocket to opt out of this SHIT healthcare law

I don't think it's afford, I think they want to keep their Cadillac healthcare, the one that Barry said would be taxed to help pay for this shit law

Well then you know everything down to the penny is calculated in, it's really not something the Gov and Unions want to deal with, strike wise while they negotiate unique deals because the union can do this if they choose.

Back pocket or not...


We, as in me and you, already pay these peoples salaries, buildings, and insurance along with every other cost... why would you want them to be taxed more? You would just have to pay more in taxes to them, to pay it - yet again. They aren't being taxed, you are. It's just not logical to pass it on to them.

Stop hating the healthcare law for a moment and think about what happened with some logic.