Monday, March 22, 2010

House passes Health Care Bill – What does this mean for employers?

I have not read any version of the health care bill. In fact, anyone outside of Capitol Hill, the White House, lobbyists, or some major news agencies who tells you otherwise is probably lying to you. So, I don’t have a lot to say about this legislation. In fact, I’m not embarrassed to say that I have not yet formed an opinion pro or con about it. What is embarrassing is the partisan politics that this issue has created. No one can honestly say that they are in favor of the bill because they are blue or against it because they are red. They are dishonest opinions based solely on party lines.

So, what can I tell you about this legislation? Employers are not required to provide health insurance to their employees. Instead, employers with 50 or more employees who do not provide health insurance will be fined $2,000 per employee. Employers smaller than 50 employees likely will not feel much of an effect from these changes.

For more on this important issue, I recommend reading Dan Schwartz’s post at the Connecticut Employment Law Blog.


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