Large American companies, already facing rising health care costs along with their employees, also are struggling to figure out how the new federal health care law will affect them.
Helen Darling of the National Business Group on Health cited a survey of 72 large companies, which acknowledged “we are in middle of transformation, a transformation of how health care is financed and delivered in this country,” she said.
The large companies said they expect their health care costs to rise next year by about 9 percent, 2 percent more than they rose this year. They attribute 1 percent of the 2 percent increase to the early provisions of the new health care law.
And where will the burden fall?
The companies have several strategies for dealing with increased costs and many say they’ll do what they have been doing — ask workers to pick up a larger share:
The folly of Obamacare is coming home to roost and it is scaring the bejesus out of Democrats, especially as the November election nears. Barack Obama promised us that Obamacare was going to cost us less:
The only thing we’re going to try to do is lower costs so that those cost savings are passed on to you. And we estimate we can cut average family’s premium by about $2,500 per year.
In the triumph of hope over reality, Democrats swallowed it without a thought. Doubling down on fantasy, Obama said that health care premiums would go down by 3000%, and that business owners would be handing out raises with the savings! For the moment, let’s ignore the simple absurdity of the claim by the Constitutional genius.
Nancy Pelosi said that health care reform would lower costs:
The measure “covers 96 percent of all Americans, and it puts affordable coverage in reach for millions of uninsured and underinsured families, lowering health care costs for all of us,” boasted Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., at a ceremony attended by dozens of Democratic lawmakers.
They told us over and over and over that forcing people to buy health insurance wasn’t a tax, and the suddenly it was.
Now Democrats want you to forget what they said.
Key White House allies are dramatically shifting their attempts to defend health care legislation, abandoning claims that it will reduce costs and deficit, and instead stressing a promise to “improve it.”
Politico got hold of a confidential presentation by FamiliesUSA, who originally pressed for the reform. Contained in it is the disavowal of the promises made by Democrats about the cost of the program:
The confidential presentation, available in full here and provided to POLITICO by a source on the call, suggests that Democrats are acknowledging the failure of their predictions that the health care legislation would grow more popular after its passage, as its benefits became clear and rhetoric cooled.
And in the presentation it makes clear what Democrats are to do:
“Don’t say the law will reduce costs and deficits.”
Now let’s repeat that. Let me be clear:
Don’t say the law will reduce costs and deficits.”
Don’t say that the law will reduce family health insurance costs by $2500.
Don’t say that health care cost preimums will be lowered by 3000%.
There is special language for Latinos, the elderly and non-college educated women. Apparently these groups confuse easily because they’re not buying into this farce.
For those under 40, use sob stories. They’re susceptible.
And for the love of God, don’t promise what they’re already promised:
“The law is not perfect, but it does good things and helps many people. Now we’ll work to improve it.”
David Freddoso recalls a combative Barack Obama:
“If Republicans want to campaign against what we’ve done… that is a fight I want to have.” – Barack Obama on health care, Jan. 14.
Be careful what you wish for, especially with the advent of the first death panel.
The more sane among us knew that what Democrats were promising was ridiculous. The lesser liberal intellectual lights insisted on the Pelosi Gambit:
“We have to pass the bill so you can find out what’s in it.”
DrJohn has been a health care professional for more than 30 years. In addition to clinical practice he has done extensive research and has published widely with over 70 original articles and abstracts in the peer-reviewed literature. DrJohn is well known in his field and has lectured on every continent except for Antarctica. He has been married to the same wonderful lady for over 30 years and has three kids- two sons, both of whom are attorneys and one daughter on her way into the field of education.
DrJohn was brought up with the concept that one can do well if one is prepared to work hard but nothing in life is guaranteed.
Except for liberals being foolish.