Mr. John Schnatter, owner of one of the largest mansions I have ever seen built by an American pastime, made news when he claimed that raising the price of his pizza by pennies would be too great a change to provide those working for him with health care, something he would be required to do under the Affordable Health Care Act. Yes, folks this act is going to cost you more in pizza. But if you eat lots of pizza, your health care costs are going to go up anyway.
I am willing to pay more for all types of things so that my fellow citizens can have decent health care. It is the lower wage employees, many times the ones exposed to the worst working conditions and the most unpredictable employment stability, that are going to suffer by employers reducing their hours. I was trying to cheer up a cashier at BJ's when he pointed out it was not the long hours but the shorter hours he was suffering from. He was only allowed to work 24 hours a week. I thought it was an overtime issue, but he clarified that if he put in 30 hours they would have to provide him with healthcare support.
Denny's restaurants in Florida said they would raise their meals by 5%. Really! I am willing to pay that during the few times I eat at Denny's.
The Darden restaurants (Olive Garden, Red Lobster, etc.) also claimed this healthcare law was just too costly and too burdensome on their business...until they found within weeks a drop in business by about 37% when people found out and a drop in their standards of customer service when employees were spread out part-time.
Look, this national health care initiative is going to cost, but the cost will be spread out over us all and there are several provisions that tighten the waste and overspending done in hospitals and doctor's offices.
Just THINK for a minute. Do you really want to be eat food that has been cooked, handled and served by staff who avoid seeing a doctor until the very last minute because they have no health care? Let us be practical here and little more generous with our money.
I will watch the food industry and only eat in those places that care about the health of their employees. You can take your own chances as you wish.
Well said and good points all.
ReplyDeleteit is not like we are the only country that has ever gone through this...and i think in the long run it will cost us less...
ReplyDeleteIt is the small business owner who it is really hard on. My husband is a small business owner and, let me tell you, it is difficult. And the funny (ironic) part is that small business owners don't have benefits. So they pay their employees' health insurance and then have to go out and buy their own as well. My hubby and I currently pay $1200 a month (and it will go up now too) for our family's health insurance and we do not have great coverage. It is tough.
ReplyDeleteKat, I am so glad you commented. Perhaps after this law gets better implemented, then that will be addressed. Maybe consortiums can be formed to give small business owners a better base from which to negotiate with the insurance industry. Perhaps there can be a better adjustment in subsidies based on size of business. I certainly hope your husband writes his Congressmen on this issue, because I think in such a wealthy country we need to provide everyone with healthcare. Six people in your family means it costs him $200 a month per person. This seems high and what it reflects is how we still need to work on this.
ReplyDeleteAs he frequently does, Jon Stewart said it well when he observed that he was willing to pay a little extra so that the guy making his pizza had drugs to keep him from hocking up a lung on it. As for Papa Cheap, I've switched from them, purely as a result of that guy's venality.
ReplyDeleteTabor- Something has to be done all the way around. And the only way anything will get done is by open-minded, calm, discussions like this one occur. Unfortunately, our society just seems interested in shouting matches and pointing fingers right now. So sad.
ReplyDeleteI have heard so many horror stories of universal health care and the poor quality of care so that always makes me nervous. I think affordable health care for all is necessary and also possible. And we also need to keep drug companies in check too. What is being charged for certain medications seems completely BATTY to me. I don't know what the answer is but I'm always willing to listen to all sides.
It's the argument i have with myself -- the one where i wish i had the money to avoid the cheaper stores where i know the employees are part time.
ReplyDeleteGood commentary. We do need to work together on this, and not let fear mongers convince folks that it is evil or harmful or too costly or whatever.....
ReplyDeleteAs full implementation kicks in, there will be more choices for small businesses to get affordable coverage. That's part of the plan.
I do think it will be good to know which businesses cut hours to avoid providing coverage, and which just raise prices a bit to cover the cost.
Amen. Thank you Tabor.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Tabor, this type of thinking needs to grow roots and spread.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately the small business and middle class do seem to being getting the brunt of the burden from what I can see.
Great post. I couldn't agree with you more.I wouldn't eat those cheap pizzas anyway.
ReplyDeleteWe solve the problem by hardly eating out.
ReplyDeleteSome telling points. Interesting that you are branching out into health care just as we are trying to dismantle ours!
ReplyDeleteDave, you need to comment more on how you feel about that.
ReplyDeleteThis is something to struggle with. My biggest concern is who will provide the health care once we have everyone insured. Our young oncologist is inundated with patients because the older doctors (primarily baby boomers) are saying "to heck with it" and retiring in droves without many new students pursuing the medical profession. We might get health care for all, but it won't do any good without providers.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you....I don't mind paying the increases...they are a small price to pay in order to give many peace of mind.
ReplyDeleteHugs
SUeAnn