Companies lay off millions and then call on Congress to reform immigration

[KestrelBike]

I'm curious about this statement. How has Obamacare increased your operating expenses? I believe it will next year, but how has it done so now?

Have your premiums increased this year?

My premiums for my personal policy (and I know of one company policy that performed similarly) increased >10% (and I had gone to a GP once the previous year for a ~$100 physical), ostensibly all in order to prepare for obamacare.

[jhood001]

My premiums for my personal policy (and I know of one company policy that performed similarly) increased >10% (and I had gone to a GP once the previous year for a ~$100 physical), ostensibly all in order to prepare for obamacare.

Right. I get the assumption. My company's premiums increased by 24% this year. Going back over the past 5 years (excluding this year) showed an average annual increase of 19%.

I'm not defending 'Obamacare' here. I'm of the opinion that we either need to go all in or stay completely out of it. I'm just wondering how policy going into affect 4-6 months from now is affecting operating costs today - aside from your particular provider participating in speculation.

And here is a small business owner pro-tip for those that do provide healthcare benefits: Tell your employees to give you a quote for their health insurance costs after the first of the year. Kill your benefits, and give them a pay raise equal to their annual premium cost under AHA. Granted, not every business can do this, and it might be against your beliefs, but it will save both you and your employee money. At least for year 1 of this thing.

[Jeffrey Lebowski]

- the technology in healthcare today is just nuts expensive because it really is miraculous. MRI, CT-scanner, artificial organs, etc. the companies that have researched; developed, manufactured, and service these machines have some pretty sophisticated cost structures that must be met, they're not in the business for free and if it does not make economical sense, grandma ain't gettin that angiogram.

So is lasik and orthodontic work - but the price on that keeps DECREASING because of free market economics. $0.02
Don't blame insurance companies, blame the government. Insurance companies follow the cards being played by CMS.

And here is a small business owner pro-tip for those that do provide healthcare benefits: Tell your employees to give you a quote for their health insurance costs after the first of the year. Kill your benefits, and give them a pay raise equal to their annual premium cost under AHA. Granted, not every business can do this, and it might be against your beliefs, but it will save both you and your employee money. At least for year 1 of this thing.

In this market? Why give them the raise at all? Chances are, your penalty for not providing benefits is LESS than what you'd have to give them in a raise to "make them whole" by dumping them on the exchanges. Yeah, you'd be kind of a jerk for doing it, but business is business and in this market of unemployment, you can replace those who don't like it. Hate that this is the case, but in many cases, it is. But then again, are you [the business] the jerk? No, the government is for setting up these circumstances. $0.02

[jhood001]

My premiums for my personal policy (and I know of one company policy that performed similarly) increased >10% (and I had gone to a GP once the previous year for a ~$100 physical), ostensibly all in order to prepare for obamacare.

I'm right there with you, man. I haven't seen a doctor in 4 years, I'm not married, and I have no kids and yet I pay through the ass because I'm a part of a 'group'.

However, at the end of the day, myself and everyone else in my company will be okay in the event of something really serious... so there is still reason to pay for it.

Our healthcare system is broken. It was before the Affordable Healthcare Act. And it will be after it, too. Possibly even more so. I say 'possibly' only because I haven't figured out the whole time travel thing yet.

I guess we'll see.