Comments on: Wal-Mart Supports Health Care Employer Mandate

[taxguydave]

Almost 40% of private employers offer no health benefits at all.

Years ago, I was an electrical engineer. I worked for 2 small manufacturers in the amusements business for about 10 years. Neither offered any benefits at all, past a paid vacation every year (which, at one company, was 1 week per year, 2 weeks at the other).

These weren't exactly entry level jobs, either (they don't let beginners design video monitors).

[ramos1129]

I am a small business owner with 46 employees. I currently provide health insurance.

Universal insurance coverage is coming. That is a fact of life. As a small business owner, I can accept a current proposal that provides for me to pay up to 8% of my payroll for employee health care. Reasons? I believe in cash flow planning. If I have a definite amount that I know I will have to pay, I can make provision for that in my planning and my business operations.

I do not care what political labels some yoyo gives a plan. Whether it be labeled socialism, capatilisim or some other ism. The only true test of the health plan that emerges is, "Does it work?" If it does, let's go with it. If it does not, junk it.

[woeisme1]

by mccain08nc July 1, 2009 10:54 AM PDT
All these comments are typical of liberals looking for something for nothing. They think just because they can call them selves Americans they deserve something paid for by other hard working Americans.
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Your assumption is that democrats don't work. Only republicans pay taxes you seem to feel. Do you realize how arrogant your statement is? Maybe because your a mouthpiece for Fox News it does'nt matter?

[frets3]

A 'public option'...such bs. There are hundreds of insurance companies already, but the First Black President thinks that the answer to all that is wrong with health care will be solved if we get just one more. One that he of course, controls. Anyone who believes that another HUGE beauracracy will not have the same fraud, corruption, and built-in inneficiency that every other government operation has is simply living in a dreamland.
A few short months ago, I thought it could not get any worse than Bush. Now I know better. This Marxist dictator and his Pelosi minions need to be stopped!

[taxguydave]

What a laugh. "Hundreds" of insurance companies? Yes, if you count property and casualty companies. In health insurance, 5 companies control over 80% of the market. Most of the "brand names" that you see are actually owned by a bigger company (did I mention that I'm health insurance licensed?). For example, if you have a policy from Golden Rule, then you're actually buying your insurance from UnitedHealthGroup.

Back in the old days, that used to be called a trust. Which is illegal, by the way.

[taxguydave]

"Subsidized to the teeth?"

Let me know where you can find a prepaid post retirement health insurance plan (they do exist) that would cost the average person less than $1500/yr.

My father would pay far less out of pocket than I would for his medical expenses. He's pretty healthy. I have epilepsy and Parkinson's disease. If I had to pay (retail prices) out of pocket, my prescriptions alone would be about $1500/mo.

Amazing how many Americans are deathly afraid of paying a little more tax when we are already paying the lowest taxes in the developed world (and don't get righteous with me, my income tax alone comes to more than the median income). A little less selfishness and teabagging, and we could actually live in a first world country again!

[woeisme1]

Many in the business community, however, contend the proposal would make it harder for employers to maintain a payroll with decent wages as well as the required benefits.

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And most in the business community get neither decent wages or required benefits now. So it strikes me as odd that those objecting would make such a statement.

[taxguydave]

I'm not getting my surgery in a timely manner, and I'm out of pocket $10K-$20K/yr. I have a feeling that we could go to national health insurance without costing me an additional $10K-$20K/yr in taxes.

Let's say we tripled the Medicare portion of FICA. A self-employed person making $200K/yr currently pays $4464 per year. If this was tripled, I'd be out of pocket another $8928/yr. Which is less than my current health insurance premium.

Very few people make that much, though. The median self-employed in the US makes $47,000/yr. Medicare currently costs this person $1049/yr. Tripled, that comes to an extra $2098/yr. Private industry won't sell you a policy for that, unless you're young, have no family, and have never been sick.

As for that R and D by the pharmaceutical companies, much of that is actually already paid for by the US government, which subsidizes university research that the pharmas later cherry pick to develop drugs.

Also, you listen to too much Rush. Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are NOT going broke. Do a little research of your own sometime. Possibly running out of money in 20 years is not a crisis. Any privately owned business would laugh at such an assumption.

[pensacola8-2009]

This news from Walmart CEO Mike Duke is the greatest news I have heard this week and I am delighted and pleased to learn it.

A few weeks ago, while on vacation to Texas, I spoke about health care to my friends who own businesses and learned about their adamant resistance to implement it. When I confronted them and asked why they opposed the Obama Adminstration's health plan, they answered very simply, "We haven't been paying our taxes as a business and it kills us to start paying our fair share at the same time when profits have eroded to almost nothing".

What that has told me is that some who scream the loudest may not be playing by the rules in the first place....and most don't want to accept blame for their choices or problems it causes for others downstream.

Walmart used to be an employer that didn't hire many full time employees, or give benefits to many, but they have transformed theirself into a different kind of employer. Now, they are an ICON of civic patriots.

Full Speed Ahead with the National Health Care !!!!

[veils-2009]

Wal-Mart has the worst record for providing health insurance to its employees. It uses tactics like giving people under 40 hour work weeks, which skirts their requirement to give full time employees vacation, sick leave and health insurance.

Especially in small towns Wal-Mart swallows its competition whole leaving people little choice in who they are going to work for. And with no competition for jobs, Wal-Mart holds even greater power over the people that work for them and even the community as a whole.

Up-against the Wal-Mart is the Hugo Chavez of the big box discount stores.

[taxguydave]

You're already forced to buy car insurance.