Many already do.

It cant get any uglier than this...Corporate greed

You would think making probably a billion dollars a day in sales around the world selling trash will deter these greedy corporate bastards from punishing those wiping their fat asses...Nope.

Now they want those wiping their asses to do it with less tissue...This country is going down the drain quicker than I thought...The 1%s are literally squeezing the crap out of the 99%s...it's gettin harder to breathe these days folks...

It's become so bad, even my horse Jimmy's resorted to drinkin his life away...poor horse

WALL-E

That's freedom for you!

Hay Doc! Can your horse afford to "drink?" Mine are stuck with water. LOL

It is all about GREED and protecting their profit margin. Big corporations don't give a sh.t about employees. People need to teach these businesses a lesson by shopping around for the best prices for ANYTHING.

I wonder how much their executives pay and bonuses will rise this year?

This is why there were Labor Unions. So many people bad mouth the Unions and their members, but here is the result!

Absolutely right on realist!!!!!!!

Um, you could shop elsewhere. It has been quite a long time since slave mart has had lower prices. Now, they are just fu-king with you.

Its more Wall Street pandering.. Make your numbers at all cost..

I'd like to add something that doesn't necessarily get WalMart off the hook for being a penny pinching, blood from stone company, but when it comes to health care, they are getting a dose of their own medicine, courtesy of your criminal, currently existing health care system (note: Not 'Obamacare' and not anything a Republican is pushing to fix the system, but the currently lobbyist endorsed enslavement system).

Your scumbag average health insurance company makes it impossible for any normal company to pay the benefit. Your average company is paying THOUSANDS of dollars A MONTH for any kind of co-pay plan, that doesn't carry a deductable of somewhere in the neighborhood of $5000. In other words, a health plan as any American would understand it.

You are NOT getting better care for this cost. You are getting the SAME OR WORSE care, as insurance companies pressure doctors into using lower quality, lower cost, treatments. All while charging companies more.

So when it comes to part time employees, WalMart, like many others, has to consider these benefits as compensation. And after a while, you are literally paying your part time employees a huge chunk more per hour than your full time, just because you have them on a health plan.

The LIE you have been sold is that health care is worse if you fix the system. Douchebaggers want you to believe that Obamacare is evil. Leftists want you to believe a proposed Pubic plan is evil. But really, you are being tricked into doing NOTHING courtesy of your whorish Medical Insurance companies.

So keep biting, you know, while you pay the price. Do nothing and get hurt over it. It is the new way forward for Heil Amerika!

I haven't been to a Wal-Mart store since the Supreme Court decision last June (gender discrimination, class-action law suits not allowed to proceed against Wal-Mart).

Boycott Wal-Mart, Wall St.; don't waste your time going to the ballot box until some new parties/candidates (with the least amount of $) run for office.

Ron Paul would say "Well ... it's up to them"!!!! PERIOD

I dream of a day when affordable heath care options are available separate from employment. I would think employers would want that too.

All corporations are heading in this direction along with killing pension plans. But according to the right we don't need insurance or social security.

Obama's a lock, focus on taking back the house and keeping control in the senate. Vote!

Fortunately, France prohibits WalMart from opening any stores in our country, as does most of Europe.

Companies like WalMart pay pennies to their employees and don't even provide affordable health care.

If I lived in America, I would have nothing to do with such a store, I much prefer to shop in a local store where I know the proprietor and he knows me.

WalMart makes retailing a drudge, an assembly line buying process. They have taken the fun out of a day shopping trip.

Shame on you WalMart.

They always like to say because Wal-Mart is so large, they can demand cheaper wholesale on the items they sell, which is supposed to be how they keep prices low. I guess they didn't try very hard with their employee health care.

None of this changes until corporations go back to the old doctrine of supporting the employees and community rather than the shareholders, which is how it was before the stock exchange took over everything.....

Nobody put a gun to the heads of these whiners forcing them to work at WalMart. If they don't like where they're working, go get another job. The gullible left wing nuts will blame WalMart but this is another consequence of Obamacare. If they bothered to pay attention, they would discover that many businesses are being forced to cut back or completely discard healthcare benefits because of Obamacare.

The real cost of implementing Obamacare rises almost by the day. Currently, it's now slated to cost over one trillion more than originally projected, and keeps rising.

BUY THE BOOK "THE RETIREMENT HEIST", it tells the truth about upper management lining their pockets with millions and letting the little guy DIE.

corporations have been cutting back on healthcare and retirement benefits (except upper management packages) long before Obamacare came along....

SRS, you really believe that President Obama isn't about corporations? Who do you think is going to finance his re-election bid? He's got his corporate controllers too. Don't kid yourself; every politician is controlled by some corporation once s/he gets to a certain level.

I don't know much about how healthcare works how insurance works but i know bull@!$%# when i see it ...

I see hospitals / doctors billing impossible rates. For example a box of tissue in the hospital room costs $125. WHY ?

My paediatrist that showed up for 5 minutes to see my kid in the ER only to tell me everything is fine and it was perhaps my whimsy - charged the insurance nearly $400 for the visit.

My allergist who inserted a tube up my nose - in and out in less than a minute - charged $1500 for it ...

WTF ?

And we wonder why the cost of insurance is so high ?

I got an upper endoscopy done and i am on the hook for 10% of the cost - the bills just keep coming - i have no idea what i am paying for and why - I had no idea how much it would cost before going for the procedure.

From the consumers standpoint There is no transparency in how the system works and how the cost is calculated and how much it costs.

It's all bull@!$%# !!!!

Why can't i get an estimate of how much a procedure would cost me with a breakdown of cost in this age of computers and such ?

Realist,

You know those employees who work 34 hours and receive full time benefits? Well they could just walk out if they don't like what WalMart is doing. You and I both know what would happen, WalMart would hire new people who are willing to work for them. Such is life. WalMart hasn't violated any labor law by doing this.

corporations have been cutting back on healthcare and retirement benefits (except upper management packages) long before Obamacare came along....

I saw it happen the moment HillaryCare was announced.

SRS - provide your FACTS to back up your blind, uninformed devotion to the disaster that is Obamacare. Wet Willy is correct. And more so, Obama doesn't give a hoot for any of us. We will all, (except the very rich) have less care very soon because of this. Bring on your "facts!"

The article clearly stated that Walmart said this has nothing to do with "Obamacare" -- a program that has NOT even be fully implmated yet. Interest the the The GOP and the Teaparty balme Obama for doing "Nohting" and than balme him for making too many CHANGES!? Neat trick --doing nothing and too much @ the same time! Clearly the right is more concerned with protecting the rich and coporations -- sending what little jobs left over seas -- giving big tax breaks -- but does not want to do anthing that could be positive for this country. When will the majority of Americans finally wake up and notice that the ones who are most against taxes on the rich -- are the rich?! Duh! The problem is not that the poor have too much, but those who have the most money don't pay taxes!!!

Obamascare was never intended to lower the cost of healthcare.

It's just a redistribution of wealth scheme.

We are already seeing rising costs because of it.

In a time when due to the recession, healthcare should have temporary decreases in costs, it is rising instead. (Less people use medical services during recessions. But expanding coverages under the ObamaCrats have eaten all those cost savings, and are even pushing up rates at a time when they should be falling).

It's time to repeal the Obamascare plan and then focus on the costs.

If you pay less, you should get less. And if you get more, you should pay more.

It is insane for a person to pay $5000 a year when they have a chronic condition that costs $15,000 a year. Who do you think pays for the difference? Many healthy people are paying for unhealthy people. Your recurring costs (baseline) should be included. Someone has to pay for you, why not you?

An easy answer for much of the costs is having the same rate for the same procedure, irregardless of who pays. That allows people to pay for most of their care out of pocket, and they then can just have coverage for catostrophic situations.

People also need the ability to opt out of Government regulations on insurance.

So a man doesn't have to buy a policy that covers birth control pills for women.

Essentially, we need to get people to understand that insurance won't work if you want it to cover every little thing.

Your auto insurance doesn't cover oil changes even if you have full coverage.

Another simple fix is to allow people to see doctors, but waive any right to sue for malpractice. (Sounds crazy, but that happens in countries with socialized medicine - you can't sue the doctor because you didn't pay them and they work for the Gov't under a blanket of immunity).

A doctor could charge 1/3 less if you could waive the right to sue.

As for pre-existing conditions - there's a good reason that NO OTHER INSURANCE FOR ANY TYPE OF MATERIAL THING OR ACTIVITY ALLOWS THIS ANYWHERE ON THE PLANET.

Can you imagine if you could wait until after your house burns down to get home owner's insurance - and the insurance company would have to still pay for your house?

We all know about the exemptions that Obama handed out. McDonalds specifically said they would drop insurance without the exemption.

SO if Obamascare isn't raising costs, why would an exemption from it provide the financial incentive to keep insurance?

Wall-mart successfully fended off Unions for all these years and their employees keep getting squeezed. Way to go right wing nut jobs in continuing to demonize Unions. Keep up the good work....soon you won't be able to walk down the street without tripping over a homeless person.

How is this corporate greed? Do you know how much companies actually pay for healthcare per employee? It is extremely expensive, and you wonder why there are no jobs. A lot of companies now because of the new law changes are thinking of giving employees a stipend to get it themselves. Then you will know how much it actually costs.

so, alboyano, after your tirade, what facts do you have to discredit wet willy? I can go on a rant, too, and personalize everything, but I am not sure that makes my point.

How much further can they go? Walmart employees are already supplementing their bare, existing health benefits with government paid health care.

How much more will Walmart force the taxpayers to supplement their responsibility in order to increase their profits?

ModDem99

Unions set up their own problems by trying to force companies to change. How long did you really expect companies to listen to whinning all the time and constantly wanting more and more before they said, Hey if we move to somewhere there are no unions, we can lower our production cost and raise profits. Duh, I think some people need to really take some Micro and Macro economic classes, then they would hang their heads in shame when they realized that they have caused the problems all along.

Wal-Mart boasts of it's purchasing power from buying large quantities. Why wouldn't this also affect the Health Care Industry? Greed!

And yet all these "haters" will still shop at WalMart Gladly (if not secretly) enjoying the low prices.

If you think this is about corporate greed, then how pray tell, do you think they seem to keep their prices so much lower than their competition?...hmm?

Finally, just who do you think pays for 100% of employee health care costs at WalMart?...hint... it is the same group that pays 100% of thier taxes as well... ITS YOU!!!! no customers = no revenue = NO PROFIT! Raise their taxes, make them provide mandatory health care coverage AND THE CUSTOMER WILL PAY FOR IT

I know this is a really hard concept for liberals, but listen up. BUSINESSES HAVE NOT... SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME... PAID ONE DIME IN TAXES OR HEALTH CARE COSTS... THEIR CUSTOMERS DO!!!

Before some of you get your panties in a bunch over corporate PROFITS keep in mind that ALL... 100% of the STATES have their pension plans in Wall Street... and that includes Walmart, GE, ETC. Their profits (in large part) go to shareholders. Some does go to CEOs who make a ton, but that is small potato's in the big scheme of things.

CorporateShill

corporations have been cutting back on healthcare and retirement benefits (except upper management packages) long before Obamacare came along....

BINGO...for OVER 30 years now. Many in the steel business saw our pensions go in 81'.

But since there has been NO support from public unions for blue collar all this time, you think we're going to support THEM in their time of giving back ?? pfftttt.

Concerning Walmart, I get sick and tired of people saying boycott..just DO IT.

I haven't been in one for over 7 years.

yadda yadda yadda.

I still can't believe some of you believe that ROLL-BACK scam.

Tomato sauce, $2.35...rolled back to $2.20. Guess what...the following week it's back to $2.35..then...rolled back AGAIN to $2.20..

You all don't REALLY think it just keeps ROLLING BACK to nuttn' do ya ?

Roll-back=sale price, just like everywhere else.

To all those slamming Obamacare - IT IS BEING IMPLEMENTED NEXT YEAR. All the figures that talk about rising costs associated with Obamacare is purely conjecture being put forth by right wing groups like Heritage, etc.

The CBO actually still says that this plan will save money!!!

All this aside, a question I have posed many times on this forum, and has not been answered to date is this. Why do we here in the US have to spend 16% of GDP on healthcare, when the countries with socialized medicine are paying about 10%. Compare our demographics to Japan - they have, proportionately, a lot more older people, their people live longer and yet they spend 10.6% on an healthcare system that is said to be one of the best in the world. The US is only 9th best!!!

C'mon people, we can do better. Instead of all the right-wing, left-wing bs coming from people/organizations with vested interests, surely we can look at facts and decide. Or is our education really that bad?

"The company cited rising health care costs, which have forced it to alter its insurance plans, the newspaper said. It said Wal-Mart noted that the change was not the result of the new federal health care law."

Even though everybody knows better. They just didn't want to arouse a political storm.

I agree with the increased premiums for smokers. Every insurance company should be allowed to charge an appropriate higher premium for smokers and obese people so that their health care is not subsidized by people who have healthy habits. Health costs related to personal issues that are not the fault of the individual should not be penalized though.

Now that I've nearly died of laughter, "amid rising costs"...more long horn dung than this I can't stand. Amid rising costs? You mean like the rising cost of Walton's wealth? Sure, amid rising costs dump those costs on consumers, taxpayers and employees...what else is new among the richest of the rich like the Waltons?

Oh gee...I guess their ingenious plot to dump cheap foreign imports on Americans must have helped stabilize the foreign economies of those foreign countries from whence Walton wealth comes. Now those cheap laborers want to live like Americans. That's a no no for the greedheaded Waltons.

Amid rising costs of Walton perks, benefits and salaries, how much of their benefits are they willing to forego? How many years will they stagnate their salaries?

In case you missed it folks, the Waltons were super POd that they had to offer minimum wages. So here comes the typical Corporate tactic. Walmart wages getting too close to living wages? Reduce 'em by dumping the cost of those benefits Walmart fought long and hard not to have to offer.

Boycott Walmart. They don't deserve help from American consumers. Buy from your local small businesses. At least you know where the goods and services come from.

Robin Steele "Um, you could shop elsewhere."

By all means - Spend that extra $3,000 per year per family and buy things at a union store.

And keep voting in those politicians that block building new WalMart stores in poor areas. It's better to keep the unions happy than help the poor have a better life.

Derek is about spot on in this situation. It is not really Walmart's fault, it is the health care system itself raping anyone and everyone it can. How is it that health care costs can and have been rising steadily since 07' at about 10-13% a year. Since I began my job I have watched my healthcare costs rise 37% in three years. My compensation has only risen by 9%. There is a huge problem with the health system and they tell us that 10% is normal. Yeah right!

Yes by all means boycott the big bad Wal-Mart, you know the company that is based in Bentonville, Arkansas and employees 1% of the whole U.S. The company that hires U.S. based companies to build their stores. The company that has 1.4 million U.S. employees. Boycott them and send those workers to the unemployment line to drain our failing economy even more. That will show them right? lol It will show them the reason to move overseas! They can still profit over there, wow.

Here's a dandy idea: Why doesn't our government slap some regulations back on the medical industry? Drug companies are profiteering. Hospitals are profiteering.

Why?: Because they can. There is absolutely ZERO reasons why a drug should cost almost $400,000.00 an ounce. Think I'm making that up? My aunt is taking chemo and one of her drugs is Oxaliplatin. Extrapolating the price-per-milligram from one of her very itemized bills, I came up with just over $380.00 per milligram. This equates to $380,000.00 per ounce and $10,640,000.00 per pound. Yes, that's 10 million dollars per pound.

On a similar note, there is no reason why some of the procedures at hospitals cost so much. Why does it cost $500.00 to give a Neulasta injection? This is the price of the injection itself, not the drug. The drug costs $7,500.00 per syringe. Or how about $8931.21 to administer Avastin?

These are all things I've gleaned from just one of her bills. I figured her average bill to run upwards of $45,000.00 per month.

Government needs to step in and fix these greedy @!$%#ers for holding lives hostage for ransom! It's no wonder health insurance is so high. As for Wally World: I have nothing but contempt for that company and any other corporation which @!$%#s on their employees to maintain their prodigious profit-margins.

Walmart blew it big time in my town. They had a store that replaced over 22 small businesses. Then, they did the baddie...they tried to build a second store in town until half the town got after their asses and said, "enough". They didn't get their second store. And won't. People in my town are loyal to their small business community. There was no way we'd allow another 2 dozen businesses to disappear so Sam Walton can line his greed pockets.

The proof of who Walmart targets is where they locate those stores. In areas where the poorest people live. The only reason they were allowed to build the first store in my town is because it was on a major highway away from residential areas that are Middle to Upper Income class.

In effect, Walmart hires dirt poor labor they refuse to pay living wages to and then, they rip off the same poor by using that fine old southern coal miner tactic of "The Company Store". Work and then buy from the store the Big Man owns. Sammy Walton needs a clue. No one falls for that BS anymore.

Something pretty sleazy about Walmart selling healthcare insurance. If they are selling it to their employees or in any way demanding the employees pay for Walmart healthcare insurance out of their paychecks paid by Walmart, that's exactly the same thing Enron tried to do to its employees 401Ks.

Walmart better be making pretty sure they are not profitting doubly from the increase in their employees copays and deductibles and forcing them to buy Walmart healthcare insurance Walmart sells to the general public.

OK, this is what gets me....

For many generations our nation has prided itself on the notion that we are the most wealthy, most productive nation on this planet. We currently produce enough food in our country alone to feed the entire world (assuming it's not going to produce fuel), we have the most advanced forms of technology in most industries, and we have attained a general standard of living that was virtually unheard of throughout history.

SO WHY CAN'T WE "AFFORD" TO TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN????

Why is it that we are the only 1st world nation that does not have a systemic form of healthcare in its society?

Call it what you will...universal healthcare, 'socialized' medicine, single-payer system......whatever. But why? WHY can't we simply bring ourselves to provide healthcare coverage for everyone, regardless of status, and promote healthier standards of living???

I know enough about the situation (I am a doctor afterall- chiropractic) to know that the real answer is simply human greed and avarice. But the idea of profit does not supercede the notion of allowing everyone to proper access to care. As a healthcare practitioner, I am tired of seeing patients forego care that they genuinely need simply because of the lack of means to afford it. If this country was poor and destitute, that would be one thing. But we are the richest nation on the planet and yet we still allow others to suffer, (and sometimes die), because of the notion by some that it is better to let some people go without care rather than have society provide care collectively.

And yes, healthcare would be cheaper with a universal system. We would no longer need Worker's Comp, auto medpay policies, veteran's admin, supplemental insurances, etc. This would not only effectively hedge the increased costs of including everyone into the medicare system, but the government would have the power to negotiate prices with Big Pharma and hospital systems. By having the government provide health coverage, we could also start on nationwide social campaigns to encourage healthier living, thus reducing the true reason why healthcare has increased.

The problem is NOT with doctors and hospitals charging too much for their care. Sure, there are isolated cases of gouging, but how many of you know that ALL insurance companies have reduced reimbursements to doctors across all fields in the last ten years? And while illegal/poor emergency coverage has increased, it is still only a drop in the bucket overall. Besides, healthcare will always come at a premium....hospitals are large institutions to operate, modern equipment is extremely expensive, and doctors sacrifice much to become healthcare providers- you are paying for a specialized service.

I'm sure much of this post will be summarily dismissed by those who firmly believe in a laissez-faire, individualistic approach to governance, but I warn you that you will see things differently when and if YOU are the one who is without coverage.

Don't be scared by the idea of socialism. It is not a bad word, nor a bad system. We already live in a socialistic system; it is the very nature of government itself. The collective pays into the system in order to provide for all. How many uber-conservative people want to see their SS and medicare go away, but still insist that society not be 'burdened' by expanding Medicare to everyone??

And look, as a doctor I fully understand the potential problems with a government-run system. It is cumbersome, often unwieldy, and slow. And also, Medicare pays me far lower per service than any other insurance company, so that small issue would have to be negotiated. But it still beats having patients in tears when they try to explain why they have to stop care they desperately want and need because their money or benefits have run out.....

Something to think about.....

Walmart has saved regular working folks BILLIONS of dollars.

How is it better for an employer to pay you an extra $100 a year vs. a company that saves you $200? People whine about small businesses - but they don't pay much better than WalMart (if better) and then they remove more money from every customer. Your community doesn't win buy having less money in their pockets. We all shop, only a very few work at small retail competitiors of WalMart.

Beyond that -You know what you are getting into when you work at WalMArt. It is basically entry level work.

But guess what - they pay exactly what every other company pays for entry level work.

Look around you. Hasn't anyone noticed that despite there being no wage inflation, our wages actually buy much more than 10 years ago, 20 years ago, 30 years ago, 100 years ago, 200 years ago.

Look at the late 1960's - a period considered the height of the US economy.

People in the middle class couldn't afford homes with 2 bathrooms, or 2 cars. And don't even consider the electronics, medicines, and health procedures we now have.

WalMart, and companies like them may keep a lid on wage inflation, but they have dramatically lowered the cost of goods. It is pretty basic - you can buy more with what you earn.

Now compare that to Education. It is rising fasterthan the cost of healthcare.

And the ObamaCrats want to spend MORE ON IT!

Maybe the cost of healthcare for Wal-Mart employees wouldn't go up if they didn't treat their employees like sh!t! Quite frankly, I wouldn't work for Wal-Mart unless I had absolutely no other option and was desperate for the money. Their pay is crap, their practically non-existant benefits are crap, the way that low level managers are treated is crap, the way that the company treats bottom of the rung employees is crap. The stress alone causes their employees health problems that become more and more obvious whenever I walk into one, let alone exasperating their preexisting health issues. I would NEVER work there if given the choice.

Not a surprise as many of their employees already qualified for medicaid because of the fact that WalMart pays nothing. Also many people cannot afford to shop anywhere else. It's a classic squeeze play alright. The Walton have no shame whatsoever. B.A.S.T.A.R.D.S.!

Think about it-2012248: Of course it's walmart's fault.

They earn 15% return and they can't afford to support their employees? Give me a break.

Jemma (post 1.15) I agree. That's exactly what we need.

And the way to do that is to enable people to buy insurance across state lines, end unfunded mandates imposed by goverments, both state and federal, and allow insurance companies to sell policies tailored to the needs of the individual. We need to get rid of ALL the HMOs, we need to allow people to purchase catastrophic coverage if that's all they want, and we need to get malpractice litigation under control. It may not be the entire answer, but I guarantee it would be a great start. What we are doing now is not.

This falls right in line with what John Kasich wants to do in Ohio to ALL public employees!

He and his goons are so desperate to chisel away at employees benefits, wages and job security that they are openly lying thru their teeth by telling the public that public employees make 43% more than ALL PRIVATE EMPLOYEES, that public employees get free retirement, free health insurance and that they are all overpaid uneducated slackers!!

The best part is is that when it is proven to his face that what he and his lackeys are saying isn't true one bit he simply ignores what is being proved to him and then spins another tall tale and spits out more lies and slanderous half truths then supports his BullSh1t with manipulated numbers and just plain outright lying to cover more and more of a web of lies!!

To show you what I am talking about I will tell you how he came to the conclusion that public employees "already make 43% more than the rest of Ohioans"! He came up with this by factoring in our job security as a dollar value ( that’s right, he added a monetary amount to each and every public employee's hourly wage to what job security public employees have) on top of what we earn per hour and that put us at 43% higher than everyone else!! First of all I have never seen such a lame ass pathetic attempt to try and slant public opinion in my life!! Second thing is that for the last 5 years there has been ZERO job security in public employment in Ohio so how do you put value on something that doesn't exist!!!

Keep up the good work Wal wart!!! Put more Americans out of work by importing cheap assed slave/child labor produced products and then cut your employees benefits while your profits are keeping a good pace with other corporate thugs!! While your at it don't forget to put plenty of tax deductable campaign contributions into the coffers of slug belly’s like Kasich who are no more than elected criminals that have skated away with billions of retirees along with current workers pensions and savings and are now waging a full frontal attack on the middle to lower class Americans!!!

Sounds like we're all in agreement. The government just needs to take over these greedy corporations. Then they can be run for the general welfare of the people.

Yep, just seize them all.

Then, maybe we can appoint a committee, we'll call them a central planning committee. They can make sure benefits get out to all the people according to their needs.

We're close to making it a reality, comrades.

I have no problem with people that would blame Walmart for this move. However, I also have a problem with people that unevenly blame Walmart for the same EXACT things that EVERY other similar company is also doing, without blaming the other companies as well.

For example: Does your job pay health care benefit$ to people working less than 24 hours per week? What about considering 34 hours per week "full time?" Did the mom and pop's stores that Walmart shut down pay better / provide health care that matches what Walmart offers? I've read otherwise in more than one example. No way mom and pops can afford health care at all for the smaller number of employees these days.

Keep it fair and you will see this is a much larger problem that has little to do with Walmart.

RP

Obamascare was never intended to lower the cost of healthcare.

It's just a redistribution of wealth scheme.

We are already seeing rising costs because of it.

In a time when due to the recession, healthcare should have temporary decreases in costs, it is rising instead. (Less people use medical services during recessions. But expanding coverages under the ObamaCrats have eaten all those cost savings, and are even pushing up rates at a time when they should be falling).

It's time to repeal the Obamascare plan and then focus on the costs.

If you pay less, you should get less. And if you get more, you should pay more.

It is insane for a person to pay $5000 a year when they have a chronic condition that costs $15,000 a year. Who do you think pays for the difference? Many healthy people are paying for unhealthy people. Your recurring costs (baseline) should be included. Someone has to pay for you, why not you?

An easy answer for much of the costs is having the same rate for the same procedure, irregardless of who pays. That allows people to pay for most of their care out of pocket, and they then can just have coverage for catostrophic situations.

People also need the ability to opt out of Government regulations on insurance.

So a man doesn't have to buy a policy that covers birth control pills for women.

Essentially, we need to get people to understand that insurance won't work if you want it to cover every little thing.

Your auto insurance doesn't cover oil changes even if you have full coverage.

Another simple fix is to allow people to see doctors, but waive any right to sue for malpractice. (Sounds crazy, but that happens in countries with socialized medicine - you can't sue the doctor because you didn't pay them and they work for the Gov't under a blanket of immunity).

A doctor could charge 1/3 less if you could waive the right to sue.

As for pre-existing conditions - there's a good reason that NO OTHER INSURANCE FOR ANY TYPE OF MATERIAL THING OR ACTIVITY ALLOWS THIS ANYWHERE ON THE PLANET.

Can you imagine if you could wait until after your house burns down to get home owner's insurance - and the insurance company would have to still pay for your house?

We all know about the exemptions that Obama handed out. McDonalds specifically said they would drop insurance without the exemption.

SO if Obamascare isn't raising costs, why would an exemption from it provide the financial incentive to keep insurance?

go to www.peopleofwalmart,com to see just who occupies Wal Mart

Curious? Look up "The Walmart Effect".

Interesting stuff. And I don't have anything personally against Walmart; I have everything personally against any and every corporation that puts profits over people!

@!$%# that noise.

sumatymrolls - you must be a Union troll. Public employees all make more than equal jobs in the private sector, NATIONWIDE. Kasich is not lying. Ohio has an 8 BILLION dollar deficit, and he has worked hard to turn that around WITHOUT raising taxes. So many businesses have closed or moved to other States, Ohio has lost enough population to lose 2 seats in the House in Washington. Why you ask? The 2 main reasons are high taxes, and the Unions and their unreasonable demands. Kasich is part of the solution to return Ohio to a business friendly State. If we don't pass SB2 our taxes will go up. All the while our paycheck continue to shrink but not the Public Employees. What is right about that? The are no more worthy than the rest of us.

Walmart is feeling the pinch of the new reality of Obamacare. Doesn't matter if they said it wasn't because of Obamacare, it is. If they said it was, then our President would be coming down on them for telling the truth. Other companies have been feeling the crunch, those things implemented already have increased costs, and limited options. Wait until 2014, that is when everything falls apart. The large businesses are facing million, and for some billions in increases. Where do you think they're going to get that money? From the consumer. So not only will health care cost more, so will everything else. Thanks Mr. Obama and Liberal Democrats for destroying the American economy for your pie in the sky idea.

Willow ???

You DO realize you're blowing smoke into the wind right ? lol..

You DO know that public servants are SUPPOSE to be immune from all this mess. <sarc>

ANYONE that votes NO to sb2 is either a public servant, or still thinks the economy is honkey dory.

What gets my gourd, is for over 30 years they sat by while blue collar unions gave back most of their good perks. Gone for 30 years now are pensions. And even when the steel mills did have them, they sure the hell didn't get to retire WITH ONLY 25 years service.

Sorry this has turned into an issue, but really, what do they (p.s.) expect with this downturn in revenue ? That us that are a month behind on utility bills, should just go ahead and continue giving them raises ?

I know of 2 steel union halls that have but one word for civil servants..

PFFTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT.

Correction regarding post #1.48: I had a brainfart, Oxaliplatin is $380.00 per milligram, $380,000.00 per gram and $10,640,000.00 per ounce. It's $170,240,000.00 per pound.

To put this into perspective, gold is currently going for $52.79 per gram.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer and the nation's largest private employer, said Friday that it is ... raising premiums for many of its full-time staff.

People claim that Walmart are doing this to protect only their bottom lines. That is not entirely true. The two choices before them are cutting costs or layoffs. They would rather keep their associates employed than have to lay them off.

Although Wal-Mart claims that these cuts are not motivated by Obamacare, that is only because they have not and do not want to see what is going on. The companies that provide healthcare insurance are raising their rates across the board in preparation for what will come to them as a result of Obamacare. The insurance companies are passing these coming costs onto the public via massive rate hikes for the healthy, who are not covered under the protections written into Obamacare.

Obamacare needs to be repealed and rewritten, with the exception of the provisions and protections for the chronically ill and others with pre-existing conditions. Until they do the public will be hearing of more of such cuts and rate hikes. Those who opt to pay the higher rates will lay off thousands of workers to compensate. The only other alternative is closure of the businesses, which means many more jobs lost than under duress of the cuts.

Believe it or refuse to believe what I write but it is coming unless something is done soon before the rest of Obamacare comes to bear in coming years.

BS

Of course its BS.

Walmart can't say they can't afford it since they continue to post record profits in this recesson.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/earnings/2011-02-22-walmart_N.htm

Wal-Mart posted net income of $6.06 billion, or $1.70 per share, in the quarter ended Jan. 31. That compares with $4.76 billion, or $1.25 per share, a year earlier.

Revenue rose 2.4% to $116.3 billion. Net sales, excluding membership and other income, increased 2.5% to $115.6 billion.

Yup, it looks like they are surely struggling. Made 6 billion in 1 quarter and still want to cut costs?

companies that provide healthcare insurance are raising their rates across the board in preparation for what will come to them as a result of Obamacare

What's that? People having to buy insurance? Maybe you forgot, but the insurance companies where the ones pushing for the health care reform act. They said that this reform would lower costs. What they meant to say was, forcing people to buy insurance will allow us to charge what we want.

Health care reform would have lowered costs for all involved. What they got was not health care reform. What they got was 'bankrupt the insurance companies' legislation instead. Maybe you have forgotten but a number of the legislators who passed that 2,000 pages of crap didn't even read what was in it when they passed it. Pelosi admitted as much when she was questioned about what was in it before they passed it. "Well, we'll just have to pass it to see what is in it."

Matt, unions don't try to "force companies to change", they negotiate for livable wages (not extravagant, just somewhat above poverty level, which is what Wal-Mart's "associates" are paid now), they negotiate for reasonable benefits such as health care (not the health care they get now that pays for next to nothing), a modest 401k plan that will supplement their meager social security benefits...that's what unions (try) to do. If you consider that "whining"...wanting a decent wage, modest benefits so they're not bankrupt when a family member gets real sick, even 401k contributions so they don't have to continue to live in poverty when they retire, well, you have a twisted view of unions and whining. As things are now at Wal-Mart, they pay as little as they can get away with, laughable health care benefits, no 401k except for a select few, so a relatively few people can make obscene amounts of money at the expense of the little guy just trying to get by. It is you who should hang your head in shame for supporting greedy corporations who will do everything in their power to obstruct unions from even negotiating for the workers.

Why? Because, like so many, they can't afford our ever-rising healthcare costs? What did the new healthcare package passed by Congressmen who didn't even read it do to lower costs? Does it allow insurance companies to operate across state lines or implement a single-payer plan? Does it allow importing drugs sold more cheaply in Canada? Does it reform malpractice law or find cheaper ways train doctors so they don't have to charge $300 a visit?

The healthcare law has some good things in it, like mandatory coverage and preexisting conditions coverage, but it does doesn't address the fundamental problems.

Wal-mart, like many businesses in this country, is finding it too hard to keep up with the costs. Blame Congress, not individual companies.

The insurance industry planned to raise rates because it can. The insurance reform part of PPACA requires companies to actually return 80 to 85 cents in benefits for the premium dollar paid. Imagine that, forcing insurance companies to provide a benefit.

Selling coverage across state lines is a red herring because it's not where the insurance is sold, it's where the provider network is established. I could buy a policy from Lloyd's of Lubbock but if they don't have a provider network in my state, I effectively have no coverage.

Isn't it strange how businesses in western European countries can provide medical coverage for all their employees and the US of A can't?? When representatives from European businesses visit their subsidiaries in the US they can't understand why we have so much trouble with medical coverage. They don't understand our non-system and how its funded.

20 years ago Newt was for the individual mandate which does make sense as does "portable" coverage so an individual is never without coverage. COBRA is a fraud and does little to expand coverage.

Malpractice is another red herring. Restricting consumers access to the courts and limiting compensatory damages has done nothing to improve the quality of medical care. The only thing that will improve quality is when the facilities create a "culture of safety" and practice "evidence based medicine" what the tea-baggers call cookbook medicine. Try telling that to medical schools who are teaching EBM and what employers are willing to pay additional reimbursement if it means doing a procedure once and having a positive outcome.

WalMart is just like any other greedy company, take from those that have the least. Time for an American "spring"!!

And those are Wal-Mart's positive qualities, Tomster...

@AG999, granted health care costs are surreal, but walmart can afford decent coverage for their workers.

Walmart spins their PR so well... they now say "The decisions made were not easy, but they strike a balance between managing costs and providing quality care and coverage.”

Providing quality care and coverage ? Walmart has always paid next to nothing for the health care packages. When I worked there, the lowest premium offered was more than 18% of an employee's pay, and came with a $1000 a year deductible. No one could afford to buy health care, and the few who tried found out it covered very little.

Walmart corporate greed makes the rest of Wall St look almost fair and just. Well, not really, they all are parasites, but walmart sucks on such a large group, for what in the end amounts to the stockholders as money they wouldn't even miss, while the workers lose everything.

AG you are delusional. Wal-marts profits are up despite lagging sales and they are a multi-billion dollar company. Just another scam to make even more profits and the expense of the their employee's. Rising health insurance costs are just an excuse to screw their employee base over.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/16/walmart-profits-up-but-us_n_928030.html

Why? Because, like so many, they can't afford our ever-rising healthcare costs?

Right, because that 421 BILLION that they made in revenue in 2011 is just too low. They can afford to pay CEO Michael Duke $18,712,721.00 in compensation last year, but they can't afford their bills. I think the US government should bail them out because they are having such hard times.

Perhaps if Walmart is serious about getting financially sound, CEO Michael Duke should take a pay cut from his current $18.7M package rather than pick on employees that live below the poverty line. Sounds like the company hasn't been well run, and the buck should stop at the top

We are coming to a point in this country where corporate greed is literally governing this country. Small business's have been run into the ground by the buying power of the mega corps like Wallyworld. Now these same megacorps can set the tone for how employees are treated. Wallyworld is now cutting back their already low employee compensation so that the part timers don't get any benny's, next they will be doing even more hiring of only part timers so that they don't have to pay any benny's with the exception of what full time management they have. Meanwhile they sit back and record record setting profits. The CEO's and investors are happy, they get their ever growing bonus's and dividends so they can go out and buy up everything that the once middle class is losing.

How long are the 99% going to stand for this? How much are we going to endure before we say "ENOUGH"!!!!! I applaud the protesters taking to the streets of Wall Street and other cities around the world. I just wish they could become more organized. They are slowly doing it, but it needs to happen faster and better. With all the social media that we have, it shouldn't be that hard.

What we need is a new labor union for all workers that isn't filled with even more corruption than what has filled our existing unions. We need someone to fight for our rights as workers. We also need some organized voting so we can cleanse the state and federal governments of the corporate ass-kissing criminals that have filled our government. We need to get rid of the legal bribery in the form of lobbyists. If you want to lobby, do it in front of all members of Congress, and on TV, so that we all can keep track of what is being said and done. We need an open and honest government that ACTUALLY works for the general population and not their own interests.

Until we go after these things and many more, we are going to be getting the same old thing that we have now, and to be honest, I am tired of the corporations and the government blowing smoke up my ass. Take back our country America!!!!!!!!

You are referring to the piece of crap Health care bill that had to be placed into law right???? I mean Obama did state that this health care bill would REDUCE health care costs and that employers WOULD NOT drop coverage for their employees, well I guess Wal Mart did not get that message.

Bloomberg news :... "South African regulators who let Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) buy control of Massmart Holdings Ltd. failed to take account of negative effects on the economy or jobs, a lawyer for a union seeking to dismantle the deal said....Kennedy said there was a “dearth of information” about what effect the takeover will have on imports and employment, and that the companies failed to disclose sufficient information to regulators."...

Just look at what happened to the mom and pop shops in the US, if they wonder now, what it means to let in Chinamart.

Walmart's stock price is close to the 52-week high, btw. Not hurting.

Walton's who can't afford healthcare for their employees' healthcare? BS. Especially when one of the things Walmart sells in their product line IS healthcare insurance. More corporate Wall Street BS they want too smart Americans to swallow. The day a Walton can't afford healthcare for their employees is the day Jefferson Davis will rise from his grave.

This is that same plantation mentality of Sam Walton they refuse to give up.

Ryan in Texas

You are so wrong on so many levels. My medical problems were caused by doctor error and I should have sued.

I paid premiums when I was healthy because it was in the best interest of the "common good". A "me" attitude will not work, because we can not survive alone.

The CEO of McKesson (pharma) will take home 131 million this year!!!

Evelyn, Most Texans who live just above poverty level or below it get their healthcare insurance from the fed. That state wouldn't spend a dime on its citizens healthcare if their state coffers were overflowing. Texas much prefers to be one of the beggar states that gets all it can from the fed while keeping the state vaults locked up tight.

This is why you get that Texan attitude that no one else but a Texan has "personal responsibility" and every misfortune is "everyone else's own fault". Meanwhile, we the taxpayers are paying 50% of oil spill cleanups while their state gets huge taxpayer subsidies for Big Oil.

They don't want mandatory healthcare because for once they once get the rest of us to pay what their state should be paying in the first place. This is why you get all that contrarian libertarism from them and why healthcare is bankrupting our small businesses and the rest of us.

You are referring to the piece of crap Health care bill that had to be placed into law right???? I mean Obama did state that this health care bill would REDUCE health care costs and that employers WOULD NOT drop coverage for their employees, well I guess Wal Mart did not get that message.

If you bothered reading the article, you would see that even Walmart themselves -- a voice in constant opposition to Obama and the healthcare law -- has said that this isn't related.

Dont forget HILLARY and WALMART!!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

As a Director, Clinton Moved Wal-Mart Board, but Only So Far

Clinton Remained Silent As Wal-Mart Fought Unions

Hillary Clinton and Wal-Mart: A Love Story

I have looked at the math. If the waltons and Mike Duke (the CEO) took a 10% pay cut, which the millions they get per year would mean nothing from thier greedy lives. They could afford to pay for every employees health benefits. Look at costco. They pay a fair living wage, give benefits and are doing better than wall-mart. Really this all comes down to the greedy family memebers who have never worked a full day in their collective lives.

They told Bill Gates when asked to donate half their fortunes after their death, that they are not going to give their money to people that never earned it. That it should stay in their family. As if they earned that money. I'm pretty sure Sam Walton created the company and they just wrode the money train.

Right, because that 421 BILLION that they made in revenue in 2011 is just too low.

It is more than just paying an overpaid CEO. Publicly-traded companies have to keep their major shareholders and investors happy with profits that meet or exceed expected performance or they will pull their funding from Walmart. If they do that, you can kiss Walmart and all their jobs goodbye. The exception is if the owner of the company has enough money to buy the board and investors out and make the company privately-owned again.

Recall what recently happened to Apple when they made billions but still did not make their target earnings. Share prices dropped accordingly as people sold off their shares in the company rather than lose money. It could have been a lot worse for Apple than it was. Things can still get very ugly for Walmart if people think of boycotting Walmart to punish them for this recent healthcare-related situation.

This action, of course, will result in drops in share prices and cuts to jobs as well as store closures, which will force people to have to shop at more expensive establishments for food and necessities and further hurt the public economically. That also will put a lot more people out of work when Walmart are trying to keep people employed by cutting costs elsewhere rather than implementing layoffs. Yeah, that'll show 'em, alright! :)

Big corporations are not there to "help the middle class".

They are there to make a profit for their shareholders each and every quarter. The sooner you realize this, the better you will sleep at night.

marlen - no doubt I understand this, and no doubt I understand this is what will be the death knell for america and it's status as the "greatest nation on earth".

without a healthy, robust middle class...we are nothing more than a 3rd world nation. hey, if thats what you're hoping for...so be it. I just hope you arent mistaken about which end of the 3rd world you'll be residing in...trust me, it wont be the upper crust.

MARLEN: God bless you son. You are truly doing the Lord's work. Just wanted you to know there is special place in heaven reserved for true patriots like you. This nation needs more corporate drones like you, to march in lock step with our kind.

Signed,

The Walton Family

Right on Jessica!

Just because things have been a certain way doesnt mean that they shouldnt change. Big companies should have more tax or something to force them to pay one way or another. Or here is an idea... stop paying big wigs so much and giving them more money and see how that helps the bottom line.

More tax? How about some tax??!?

Marlen,

RE: your post #4.1

You are quite correct the corporations are responsible for making a profit. However, WHEN, if ever, you learn that there is a difference between making a reasonable profit and raping the middle class you will NOT sleep better at night!

Marlen, that is true now, but that attitude "materialized" in relatively recent times and it is what has driven our economy down. There used to be many stakeholders for business: customers, employees, local economies, AND investors. There was balance and while not as many acquired massive amounts of wealth, more lived adequately. Now there is just one focus, the almighty ROI, and it rolls over everyone in it's path. Until we realize as a nation and in business that customers and employees are STILL stakeholders, the losses will continue.

marlen is right. Big business is out to make a profit; that's what businesses do. They aren't interested in holding your hand or making your life better, only in the contents of your wallet. There's nothing particularly wrong or right about that; it's just economics.

@scrambolo: Like I said below, if you don't like the system (capitalism) then change it. Until then deal with it.

"...than why work? For $10 a hour?"

If that's what you have to do to compete in an economy, then that's what you do. Your implied alternative of living off others' work is unappealing to others.

marlen: There's a better solution than 'love it or leave it'. This isn't about capitalism, it's about understanding how to work something as basic as healthcare into the system we have. We're the only industrialized country that hasn't figured it out yet and the cries of leaving the market to figure it out have only made things worse. The new health care bill is about as modest a step forward as you can take..not even a single payer...and yet even that "working with in the system" is being fought tooth and nail in an effort to get us back tor to "you're on your own" care. This IS how Americans deal with it.

Walmart is the biggest and worst example of corporate greed out there. I'll bet the executives' health plan isn't having any cuts. Walmart makes a ton of money and yet they do this to people who make $10 an hour, or less! And I don't believe for one minute, that as big as they are, they don't have the insurer that provides their plan by the chutzpah! One of these days something that they do is going to bring them down in a big way. In the meantime, I feel for their employees. Jerks!

Many of their emloyees are already on state aid healthcare. Now they are pushing more off onto the taxpayer's dime. Walmart should be forced to pay the states for the healthcare of their employees. Something has to be done. This is disgusting.

@Cheetah... "living off others' work is unappealing to others."

You need to tell that to the walmart stockholders and walmart family, most of whom have never done a day's work in their lves.

“We made the difficult decision to raise rates that will affect our associates’ medical costs

Associates??? Call it what it is: serfs. The employees are serfs and Wal mart could care less. As the largest private employer in the country surely Wal Mart carries enough clout to formulate their own insurance package at an affordable rate. A package that they could offer to all of their serfs...associates, that would still net the insurance companies a profit. Smaller organizations do it, why can't Wal Mart? Because the serfs don't matter.

@AP-1414066, actually, capitalism is exactly what this is about. Capitalism can't survive without a poverty stricken working class. Educate yourself.

If a co. as big and as profitable as walmart can`t afford to provide healthcare for its employees who don`t work more then 34hrs a wk. then who in their right mind thinks that anybody else can. the people on the right don`t want you to have healthcare or SS MC or MC they just want to take everything that protects the poor, the disabled, and the elderly. it seems to me if you want to make healthcare affordable we need a single payer system and our goverment must be able to negotiate prices. the right has shown all of us where and who they stand for in the last election. its time to let them know who we stand for and its not the rich. the right wants you to beleave that its class warfare its pay your fare share we keep paying more and they keep paying less all we want is an honest buck for an honest days work thats what its all about period and to all you idiots who by into their rightwing lies are nothing but brainwashed fools.

The poverty stricken working class, of the days of child workers and zero employee benefits - were championed by the Muckrakers of the last century in the US. It was similar in Dicken's Industrial Revolution days in England - grinding poverty for the masses.

Here, we had the Carnegies, Rockefellers, Fords, Hearsts - giants of new industries - rail, communications, machinery of all kinds. Andrew Carnegie was so afraid he'd go to hell for his largesse that we have the fabulous library system in our nation today (tho' there have been cutbacks in funding). Anyway - laws were made to end collusion, monopolies, and the like - level the playing field for citizens to aspire to better, and helped create the Middle Class that is so important to a good quality of life.

There will always be a certain "poverty stricken" group, but the bigger the Middle Class, the better the "American Dream". Some dream bigger than others - but at least we have the ability to dream. A poor city kid in a third world country born to a ditch digger will likely be that - no education, no money, no hope of ever getting out of that cycle. (Think "Slumdog Millionaire", to see crushing poverty.)

Mostly, I plan to continue to avoid big box stores for Main Street Mom & Pops as much as possible.

Marlen,

RE: your post #4.10

Marlen, I think Capitalism is the best form of economic system. However, there are responsibilities which dictate that Capitalism, or any other ecomomic system, must accept to promote the 'COMMON GOOD' of the societies in which they operate. As for me working for change, I along with the other 99% of American Citizens are working for change; we WILL change this corrupt and greedy system so that ALL Americans can enjoy the benefits of this great country. My only concern is NOT that it will not change, but will it change peacefully? I believe you, like I, hope it changes peacefully. Look at history Marlen, strong economic systems which oppress the citizens in mass have ALWAYS CHANGED. When the distribution of wealth is skewed, like it is now in the U.S. it invites radical change, often by violence. I hope, and I hope you hope, that the coming change is peaceful Have a GREAT weekend!

AG999...Big Business only cares what's in our wallets? So do thieves....do tell...what's the difference between Wallmart and Madoff then?

Gee. . .just wondering how much Mall-Wort shells out for all the life & AD&D insurance policies it holds on their, often elderly, "associates?" But, HEY! Mall-Wort gets paid if an "associate" dies or gets maimed, on their own time of course, and that's a good thing, right? It's AMAZING what people, a/k/a "corporations", as they were recently defined by the SCOTUS, can rationalize and justify when it comes to their bulbous profit statements.

ewent, do you have a point or are you merely trying to be pithy?

actually, this is another reason to call for massive reforms within our health care insurance industry. Walmart is not the only company (big or small) who's getting hit with higher and higher healthcare costs...

and frankly, taking health care off the employers shoulders and putting it on the employee's shoulders (just like we buy our house insurance, car insurance, ect) is the only logical thing to do.

that alone should open up competition that should vastly drive down health insurance costs.

you would think every corporation, large and small would love to not have to deal with health insurance...so why arent ANY of them lobbying to have this become reality?

We The People could make this reality - require all employers who offer insurance to give their employees (whether they opted for insurance or not) a pay raise about 10% cheaper than what they were paying for insurance. This helps employers have incentive (paying less) and this helps us, by forcing insurance companies to actually compete. No more monopolies on large corporartions or certain states...the best coverage for the best price wins...exactly as it should be.

Make Hemsley work for his 100's of millions...or put him out of a job, id prefer the latter.

Most big companies are actually "self-insured". They are large enought to form their own "group" and they simply hire an insurance company to handle the administration of the claims process for a fee. The company actually pays all the bills.

We have two major problems with healtcare in this country. First, we do not have real competition. Companies cannot offer insurance products across state lines. Because of special interest groups, there are mandates on what must be included in health care insurance. Second, our tort system is a mess. We have only 4.5% of the world's population but over 90% of the attorneys and 90% of all lawsuits.

jessica, I've thought this for a long time. We need to disassociate health insurance from employment. Make it something you buy on the open market like car insurance. I don't know if it would lower costs, but it's worth a try. (Can't make them any worse.) But you're right; wages would have to go up to compensate.

Just going after the insurance industry won't work. Obama made deals with the AMA, AHA, ABA and pharmaceutical companies which destroyed any cost control or savings in the Obamacare bill. Insurance companies can't stay in business paying out more than they take in with premiums. The bill didn't address the fundamental problems of increasing costs.

You do realize that most companies pay the largest share of insurance costs and even though this is really income to us as workers, the tax code doesn't require it to be reported as income. If companies decided to give everyone a raise to cover the insurance cost now and eliminate their healthcare insurance plans, we'd all lose. We'd get the continuing insurance rate increases and have to pay taxes on the income that replaced the former employer coverage. I tell you, this will happen because Obamacare didn't address the fundamental problem.

Mike, you're missing the part about a mandate. That was the promise to insurance companies that they'd not just get the sick as customers, but the healthy too. If the mandate to buy insurance is overturned (the argument over what the commerce clause of the consittution allows), then you'd be right--insurance companies won't play and will go back to kicking people off their insurance under all kinds of reasons.Then we'll be right back where we started.

we need to rid ourselves of insurance companies..talk about a ponzi schemes

Walmart is operating as any other business that wants to see profits...if it's not profitable to continue providing coverage for new employees, they have a right not to provide the coverage. At the same time, prospective employees can make a decision not to apply for a job at Walmart. Healthcare is not a right...it's a commodity that will only remain viable and progressive as long as there is not a government dictating to healthcare providers how much or how little healthcare can be provided to their patients.

Wal-Mart knows you taxpayers will pick up the bill in the form of welfare/medicaid. They have a deal with the govt lmao. They give billions to do what they want to do!

Nothing about the Healthcare Bill has had any effect on insurance premiums, and most things won't take effect till 2014. All increases in insurance are from actual increases in caring for an aging populace with increasingly expensive drugs and procedures or simple greed backed up with lies about the causality.

Stop blaming Obama's plan to provide basic healthcare to those less fortunate! Turn off Faux News, pick up an actual news source and stop spreading this BS to anyone lazy enough to not think for themselves! Sheesh!

calm down dufus...those insurance rates have been going up at least 5% a year since the early 90's...Obamacare may not be the answer but tools like you don't have one other than to complain a about your SUBSIDIZED healthcare...

Obamacare as much as we would want to blame him has not affected our price increase. Many of the laws don't even go into effect until next year and forward. My company raised our rates as well and decreased benefits. I now pay $600/mo just for my daughter and I. My husband covers himself and he is paying $280/mo. So our middle class family is paying $880/mo just on insurance. Our salaries have not gone up in several years but the cost of living, insurance has and it is draining us. We used to have extra cash for savings, vacations. It all now goes to maintaining our home and a tiny bit towards savings. We have zero credit card debt and cars are paid for otherwise we probably wouldn't be able to save at all.

Titan,

Sorry but you are incorrect, by not having preexisting conditions you have raised the payouts as people can now buy insurance when they get sick. They have also removed the lifetime payouts on insurance which used to be $1 or $2 million. Please note that i am not saying these changes should not have been done as they should have been but we are paying higher premiums because they were.

Actually, Henry, in many respects, you're entirely correct when you suggest that it seems that many, if not all, of the health insurance companies do NOT want more middle/lower income policyholders. They don't! Statistics have long shown that those who earn less, in general, have a greater number of health issues. Increasing the number of middle/lower incomes people who have access to insurance would mean that the insurance providers would most likely have to pay-out more. What those companies fail to realize, understand and appreciate is that much of the reason that those in the middle/lower income brackets have poorer health, in general, is largely attributable to their not always being able to afford to pay for the level and sort of preventative care that would help them avoid more costly cures. If those same people are given access to affordable isurance coverage that includes a robust preventative care element, it's reasonable to assume that, in time, healthcare costs would actually begin to decrease!

Henry: you can blame this one on the new health care bill...most of it hasn't even taken effect yet. You were luckier than most if it took you this long to get hit with rising price hikes from your insurer.

What do you mean it obamacare has no effect. My company came out as close as you can to saying the changes they made were because of the need to cover certain items and allow older children on the plan. The biggest change was instead of one form of family coverage that they paid most of they went to employee plus dependents with only the first dependent fully paid and a sliding scale so that the more kids you tried to cover the more it cost you.

Funny, my mom in the early 2000's had to cancel insurance for her employee's all together (after cutting dental and eyecare previously). Small businesses have been feeling this reality for at least the past 2 decades...

Bigger corporations are just now starting to feel the reality, and are struggling to absorb the costs.

In my opinion there are 3 main factors to the continous rise in healthcare costs:

First - Insurance companies have gone from a not-for-profit business model, to a for-profit business model complete with shareholders who expect handsome rewards for the unnecessary investments. The more you have to pay shareholders, the less there is to pay towards actual care of health. Which means you and me have to chip in more to make the shareholders happy and to get our health covered.

Second - As premiums began to rise, more and more people couldnt afford health insurance. If 100 people were splitting the costs before, and now only 80 percent are...but shareholders still need their handsome rewards, and CEO's still need their out of control pay packages...well, those 80 are now paying more to make up for the people who've dropped out.

Third - Americans suck at taking personal responsibility for their health. The Obesity epidemic has taken a huge (pun intended) toll on our healthcare costs. Obesity reaches far and wide regarding the health care impacts - from diabetes, to high blood pressure, to cancer...there's truly no way to calcuate it's actual impact. Coupled with healthcare costs from smokers and drinkers...it's no wonder our health insurance (in part) is insanely high.

If I had to place a bet, i'd say our healthcare system will crash in less than 15 years as more and more people dump their insurance because it's unaffordable. All those medical professionals with insane debts from college, will find themselves out of work like the rest of america...i'm guessing then they'll realize they were working in a sick care system, not a healthcare system...in which the profit model requires you to ensure you have return (sick) customers...not to get them healthy, and have fewer returning customers.

We have gotten 2 ads recently from "Urgent Care" organizations in our area (SoCal). They are the smart doctors - they are running their own business, and will take your insurance if that's allowed, but don't charge the uninsured a ton of money for an office visit. The Nurse Practitioners at the local CVS also can provide basic care - simpler stuff, and could refer more difficult problems.

Some of the HMO organizations will have Doctors sign an agreement to solely provide care for them - a huge ripoff to the docs. What the docs should be doing is forming "clinics" like the 2 I've seen so far, after hours from their slavemaster HMOs, to provide CASH health services. Oh the HMOs won't like that one bit, cuts out their middleman skimming of healthcare dollars.

The insurance companies are indeed hiking rates to prepare for the coming costs of Obamacare. Don't kid yourselves into thinking that they aren't. When Obamacare hits they will be losing a lot of money and are preparing for the worst-case scenario.

I have seen rate hikes as high as 45% for the healthy to cover the coming costs of insuring what used to be the uninsurable class.

They cannot do it to the chronically ill or those with pre-existing conditions so they are bending over the healthy who have no legal protections under Obamacare. And, tens of millions of poverty-stricken people still will remain uninsured even under Obamacare.

Marlen...That's not true. I don't know how old you are but until just 3 decades ago, you couldn't become a billionaire by downsizing, outsourcing and offshoring...now...you become an American billionaire by reducing business instead of growing it. Walmart employees aren't losing much with those jobs. They just aren't smart enough to figure out it's actually costing them more to work for Walmart. But that's the whole Walmart idea...get free or near free labor...typical plantation mentality.

And, even if healthcare could be removed from employer benefits, employers wouldn't increase salaries to compensate that. They'd just stuff that savings into their already overstuffed bank accounts. This is exactly why they were all so hot to get rid of traditional pensions. Extra profit for them. Just another reduction in salary for their employees who are now paying all of the administrative fees Mr. Hotcha used to pay.

There is a reason for those over-stuffed accounts. They are preparing for what is just beyond the horizon as a result of recent legislation passed by people who mostly did not even read the trash they palmed onto the American public at the last minute to accomplish their overall agenda of a two-class system with Democrats as the aristocrats.

Both. If a company dosen't have growth, they are considered a failure. If a company had 1 billion in profits last year, but only 900 million in profits this year they are considered a massive failure in the eyes of stock holders.

Don't health insurance premiums go up for everyone, no matter where they work though? I'm a 'white collar' worker and my health insurance has gone up every single year, and not by just a dollar or two. This year's increase alone is huge. In addition, benefits are cut every year. Deductible goes up, along with out of pocket maximum and copays.

When I was in high school and college none of the places I worked for offered insurance to part-time workers.

Off course, it always about the bottom line, not the people. So, if we don't have some form of universal health care (Obamacare or whatever you like to call it) what happens to these people?

I'll agree to universal health care the day Social Security can only be collected by those who paid into it, Medicare is only offered to those who paid into it, welfare has a time limit, illegal aliens are denied all public assistance, and those receiving public assistance are given mandatory birth control shots.

I might settle on just the illegal aliens and mandatory birth control. It would be a start.

The trough needs a bottom, or there is no incentive.

Off course, it always about the bottom line, not the people. So, if we don't have some form of universal health care (Obamacare or whatever you like to call it) what happens to these people?

The same thing that would have happened without Obamacare. Tens of millions who were supposed to have become insured under Obamacare will remain uninsured and uncovered. Too many of those little loopholes in this piece of bad legislation.

And, the Democrats have the advantage of looking good to the American people as the very legislation that they passed without reading will result in further hurting the overall economy so that they can begin the next phase in their agenda of creating a two-class society that they can control, dominate and enslave.

Why you mad bro? They just said it wasn't because of the healthcare law. I'll tend to believe it from the people crunching the numbers for said company than an outsider.

economykiller: you blame the Obama HealthCare bill but that assumes insurance premiums weren't going up under the last administration. Clearly, costs were skyrocketing and not just as Obama took office. That's why we've been at this "discussion" as a country for over 30 years. We cannot move forward into the 21st century with 35 million uninsured. If not the government, than who else is going to run health care for the benefit of everyone, not just those who are healthy and can be profitable to insure. The insurance companies?

Wall Mart is part of the New World Order so you think they're goin to say anything against the Admisitration? Of Course the insurance companies have to increase premiums to cover ALL the extra mandated cover in Obama Care.

No sweat, I'm ready to meet my maker, cause once universal health care, the ultimate goal is reached, they're going to be a lot of dead MoFos. Costs will drop and SS reciepients will also. LOL!

I agree with economy killer. Our healthcare premiums have risen 35% since Obama care came up, it costs $14,000.oo per year for 2 people on our plan. This is due to a 35% increase in 1 year!!! the insurance companies want to make their money now because when every employer dumps their people on the government plan they are going to lose a lot of money. So who is paying for Obamacare? The people that are working their butts off every day to keep their benefits. Also who is going to pay to insure these 35 million people? my taxes are out of control as it is. Property taxes are up, gas is up, food is up. Has anyone been to the supermarket lately ?
all of you Obama lovers just wait until you need to see a doctor and you are put on a waitlist like every other person in country's with socialized medicine. I just pray that my boss a big democrat sdoesn't kick us to the curb and at the mercy of government healthcare when this mess kicks in

I'm not sure you could prove that statement, but I love it anyways :-) Bravo!

People think spending $10 for an item that normally costs $30 is a good deal. But then the item breaks after a few months so they go back to Walmart and buy it again for $10 because "hey, it's cheaper than $30!". Then the item breaks a few months later so they buy another one. And another one. And another one. And soon enough, they've spent $70 on a $30 item when they could have purchased a higher-end version of the product for $50 at another store and it would last years.

Walmart's business model preys on the short-term-focused shoppers who have lower income and can't afford the more expensive upfront costs of premium (and better quality) goods.

The knuckleheads who run to the ER are mostly people who can't get or afford health insurance and therefore can not get primary care. They have to wait until whatever their condition is is an emergency and then they can get care because they can't be turned away for inability to pay. It is a backdoor free clinic.

This is the kind of insanity to our "best in the world" system that makes care so expensive and what the health care law is designed to correct. If everyone has some type of basic insurance (whether private, employer sponsored or publicly supported) then everyone can get much lower cost, more timely, primary care which will reduce the use of the most expensive care around (ER's) for minor conditions.

Nobody is forced to work or shop at Wal Mart. Don't like the benefits get another job? Can't get another job improve your skills. Free market economy make of what you can or not. Individual choice.

The problem is that we actually do not have a free market economy - we just like to think we do.

Big Dave, what you say is true. I was fired from walmart after four yrs of nothing but good performance and attitude reviews. I was full time, and about to get my yearly raise.

I was fired for muttering to myself in an empty aisle as I walked to the break room. No one was around. I don't normally talk to myself, but that day had been a rough one, and I was venting a bit, under my breath. Not a single person in the area, other than an asst. manager, who promptly fired me for "gross misconduct." The unempl. commission granted my claim with immediately, as they view walmart as a hostile employer, and plus they are tired of TALX (representing walmart) not responding to claims until after they are granted, when walmart then appeals and holds up benefit payments for 6 months.

walmart fires full time people, then hires them back after 6 months as part time status and minimum wage.

I know what would really hurt Walchina is to boycott them.

The many who will lose their jobs as a result of such boycotts will thank you later for hurting them as collateral damage for trying to cut into Walmart's bottom line. Way to go, folks! :)

And why is that Lloyd? When you have for profit health care what do you expect? The health care industry driving this and its all about profit. The free market solution doesn't work when it comes to health, plain and simple.

Are you dumb? Really we are talking about Walmart here. Walmart can do what it wants including lowering the premiums and providing better benefits for their employees if they wanted to.They dont want to- they want more profit. How about putting your ear to the street and listening to what the employees have asked for for years. That is only piece of the puzzle. Walmart has reduced its starting rates this month, eliminated job positions that have better pay structures, took away any type of merit raises for the associates. Research really?? Read the writing on the walls.

Bianca Wal Mart like any corporation is there to make a profit bottom line..Go to any store and ask the cashier what they make then go to wal mart and ask you will find they are all about the same..You cant pay a cashier 20.00 an hour because then everyone else from manegment down will have to make more thus raising the price of everything ..No matter what chain target wal mart k mart sears and so on can only pay what a market area allows and charges for its products and services..No im not dumb Bianca i just dont buy into the propaganda that certain groups spew about wal mart and how bad they are when there are company's a lot worse but no one will line there pockets like wal mart can....Mcdonalds kmart target wendys burger king circle k speedway sheetz all your grocery stores and so on all pay minimum wage or close to it and no or limited benefits...Ford General motors General Electric kenmore zenith hershys and many more now make products outside the U S A to make a bigger profit so before you complain about wal mart selling products made outdside the U S A force all american companys to make there products here so company's like wal mart k mart target sears and so on can buy U S A products to sell..

And why are they going up? Because the Feds have bent (upward) the demand curve for medical services, via Medicare and Medicaid. Paying for the medical care for the highest cost segment of society is not sustainable. Why do we do it...because they vote. Eliminate Medicare and Medicaid and watch costs and therefore insurance premiums start dropping tomorrow. Dumping money into keeping old sick people alive is counter productive to economic growth and financial solvency.

Party is over....we have run out of somebody else's money.

llyod-

Actually Wendy's though while paying close to minimum wage is usually the highest of the fast food joints.

When i was a line cook i made 3 dollars above minumum wage which at the time was 5.75 i made 9. Then when i became a manager i made nearly 12/hr.

Sure it doesnt sound like alot but its not rocket science either. Nor should it be. And they shouldnt have to offer crazy benefits packages to any one but management or higher.

This goes for walmart. Here a cashier will make anything from 12-18/hr depending on experience.

You guys complain about health costs, my own bought premium would cost me about $150/month for me and my two kids.

Do the math. Part time employee 34hrs *12 = 408. Looks like in one paycheck i can pay my premium. thats nearly 1600 a month minus the taxes you inccur about 1300/month give or take. Minus premiums. 1150. Making this kind of cash you qualify for food stamps. Pay electric bill at 100/month, 1050 left. Now pay your apartment rent of 700. And you got 350 to do what you want with.

I also know making this low of cash your tax return will be about 5-8k depending on how you claim during the year. Spread it out thats an extra 512/month you will recieve. Now you have 862/month. As a single parent working part time...

If you got REAL comprehensive major medical insurance for 150.00 per month for a family, I'd sure like to know where you got it. I think that's crap. I know for a fact that if a person is middle-age with any kind of health issue private insurance is unattainable unless your extremely wealthy. Try about 1500.00 per month for individual coverage with a 5000.00 annual deductible before the insurance pays a dime.

As for some of these other posts, I'm shocked at the lack of humanity and utter selfishness of some of these people. Yes health care for elderly is expensive and it is our responsibility to provide it. That's what being a society is all about. We help those who are less fortunate. Isn't that what the "Christian" philosophy is supposed to be all about? I'm always amazed by the people who claim to be Christian but are so full of hate and disregard for others. It sickens me.

When healthcare reform was discussed during Obama's campaign it was overwhelmingly popular because everyone knows our system is broken. We may have great technology, but what good is it if you can't access it. We have the most expensive and least effective healthcare system in the western world. But, let the conservathugs repeat their lies often enough and as usual those who are incapable of self-thought begin to believe them as absolute truth. That tactic seems to work well for them so why should they offer anything constructive. What can you expect from people who listen to Rush Limbaugh as the voice of enlightened thought?

PS- for those who wrote that Wal-Marts decision is a result of Obamacare, read the article. It's NOT

Oh my god, another person that should desperately attempt to refrain from pointing out that others should do more research before commenting. Do you not think it's a possiblity that the insurance companies themselves are dictating the price point of healthcare services? Have you not considered that much of your problem revolves around a third party system which strips 100's of billions of dollars out of the system each year?? I can assure you with absolute certainty that it's no coincidence that all insurance providers enjoy record profits year after year, and are entirely recession proof. It's amusing that half the country is to stupid to understand that the healthcare bill, which hasn't even been implimented yet mind you, is a MASSIVE sell out to the insurance industry and their powerful lobby. If i'm right, and i'm pretty sure it will be demonstrated that I am, insurance company profits will rise once Obamacare is fully implimented. Wait and see what really happens. Obamacare has no chance of succeeding because Obama allowed the problem, insurance companies, to design the solution which will only compound our issues. Conservatives are too wrapped up in a few poor people getting free healthcare to see where there money is really headed. Dropping statistics about the impact of healthcare should not be construed by any reasonable reader that you have some innate understanding of this problem, you clearly don't, but its laughable that you would lead off your post by intimating that you do.

PS- for those who wrote that Wal-Marts decision is a result of Obamacare, read the article. It's NOT

Correct. Walmart made the decision in order to cut costs of insurance premiums. Walmart is not going to receive the brunt of the costs of this legislation so that would not have factored into their plans and adjustments for the coming economy.

It is the insurance companies who are hiking rates in preparation for the onslaught of Obamacare, not Walmart. Unless these insurance companies raise their rates on the healthy to compensate for the losses they will experience due to provisions in Obamacare, some of which have already gone into action, they will go under and they know it.

Several insurance companies promised that they would raise rates if Obamacare passed. It passed without being read by those who passed it and now those of us who are healthy are going to have to foot the bill for those who aren't by paying higher premiums.

It is, of course, part of the Democrat agenda for creating an enslaved, two-class society. Their legislation looks good to the public until the economic damage is seen that results from their legislation. And, then, they turn around and blame somebody else for the fallout that results from their legislation.

Plausible deniability. That is why the leadership of the Democratic Party have been able to snow the general public (and even their followers) for so long and will continue to do so for years to come at the present rate. People need to understand that they never left the Tory ideals of their forefathers and still hold to the goal of enslavement of people under control of bigger government.

They just aren't stopping at one race but want to enslave as many of all races that they can. That will be the end result of their agenda for America, with them as our aristocratic class in a future, two-class society. Believe, or don't believe. But, do look deeper into these things than the mainstream media will let you with what they put out for misinforming the masses.

I tend to agree with you for the most part, PilotHawkeye2, and tend to limit my shopping at Wal-Mart. Do remember, though, that those of us out in the hinterlands often have little other choice, save driving 40 or 50 miles one way. It's much farther than that for many other areas. We used to have a thriving Main Street (now empty stores and two second hand shops) and independent grocery stores. Around here one locally-owned grocery store bit the dust within months of Wal-Mart expanding to a grocery store and the other is struggling.

The Target store in Midwest City, OK is kept cleaner by the maintenance people and has a better selection in their grocery and produce depts. I think the FireLake store in Tecumseh does well for the same reasons. I will drive the extra miles to shop at these places rather than go to the Wal-Mart in Shawnee.

I'm not sure how these other companies treat their employees in the various stores, but every time I see a Wal-Mart store I feel the need to get a tetanus vaccination.

Pilot Hawkeye2 I guess you dont shop anywhere then. Has all company's are there to make a profit and all pay a low wage or charge a lot more for a product to make a profit..If you dont make a profit you would be out of business reel simple i think..The union's have targeted wal mart to only line there pockets with dues from its employees because they have so many..If wal mart became union nothing would change except the take home pay of its employees paying union dues..Most retail unions are not strong unions for the employee and only support the company to keep its place and collect due's..I dont expect to see you at any restaurant's either since they mostly have low wages and no benefits..If you are going to boycot go all out or go home..

Why would big business or government 'take care of us'? Take care of yourself. Land of opportunity not benefits. If you are too stupid, lazy or incompetent to take of yourself you are in the wrong country. Go to France or Greece...oh yeah...they're broke.

Exactly - so why rely on the socialist network of fireman or police to protect you?

Why don't we just scratch out the word "United" and rename it "Every Man for Himself States of America?"

The whole point of civilization is to be civilized.

Quincy164 - Need to do a little research there ole' chap. France still has its AAA rating, the US doesn't. France most certainly is NOT broke.

All developed countries are undergoing financial crisis at this time, true. But I daresay, at least in countries like France, it's not because billons and billons have been thrown away on a needless war, based on lies.

What is so wrong with the French system? Why do Americans knock it so when they know absolutely nothing about it? The French (and all Europeans for that matter) scratch their heads and wonder why it is that Americans so often vote against their proper interests. The rest of the industrialized world has some form of national healthcare for their citizens. Why isn't the US capable of that?

As an American living and working in France, I know of what I speak. No system is perfect, but at least France takes care of its citizens, who give back in higher taxes. But hey, I'd rather pay higher taxes and be getting something for it.

TRUTH; So you argument is that even though a scumbag outfit like Walmart is gouging it's employees, most who live near the poverty line, the insurance companies would hose them even worse, should they decide to go it alonge???

You make a very cogent, compelling argument. LOL.

Truth & Reason, please, independent health insurance is not affordable for the average person. If you don't want Obamacare (which won't be perfect) what's the solution? When the profit motive is the driver in health care that's the problem. We are one of the few large industrialized countries that runs health care this way. Sure, we have the best health care if your rich. Look at Herman Cain, he paid his way into a cancer program that only the rich and connected could get in the door - that's wrong. What makes his life anymore valuable than yours or mine?

It is not possible to continue indefinitely with growth, how about they be happy they are profitiing at all. The power that fuels wally is the lower and middle class, they should take care of the goose that lays that golden egg.

I think he just said "let them eat cake"

Did you know that the number one employer in Mexico is Walmart?? We have only 4.5% of the globe's population. There is another 95.5% of the world to sell to.

Ozzie: Gouging? Really? So the employees of Wal-Mart were hired and never told in advance what they would be earning? Interesting.

My point was simply that employers are already contributing a large amount of money towards this benefit. Unfortunately, in some people's view it's never enough. Wages (including fringes and benefits) is the largest line item cost in almost every industry, yet everyone wants more. Businesses are not non-profit charities and must maintain an operating ratio of no more than 90% to stay solvent. If you have a solution to those dynamics then please share it with the rest of us.

Let me guess Truth and reason.....your either a Employer, or a blind idiot....The problem in this country isn't Employee vs. employer....it's plain damn greed. Making a profit and living good vs. robbing people is the real issue.

"Businesses are not non-profit charities and must maintain an operating ratio of no more than 90% to stay solvent. If you have a solution to those dynamics then please share it with the rest of us."

Are you seriously saying you beieve Wal-Mart would become insolvent if they took care of a reasonable part of their employees healthcare? You mean the company owned by 4 of the ten richest Americans? Get real man. Are you a paid shill from Bentonville? Agreed that businesses have a bottom line and many must react to ever increasing private rates but this is ridiculous.

dixie girl if all company's that don't provide health insurance would close we would loose a lot of company's that hire a lot of people where do you suggest all these people work..We need a health care policy created that's a not for profit system thus keeping cost's down and allowing people to afford insurance and company's able to provide it...You all act like wal mart created this mess they are just a successful corporation and like any company or person who does good we have to knock them down why i dont know it baffles me..

Yes I agree. My insurance policy before the Obama plan was $160, after it became law they charged $270. I have a 10k deductible to keep the cost low. After President Obama signed the health care law, the insurance industry stock went sky high. Many people forget that entrepreneurs are not getting up for no reason. If a cashier made the same as an entrepreneur that works 12+ hours, why get up? Why not take the cashier job (and no I am not bashing cashiers here) And the higher cost that businesses have is now paid by the employees. Or they will pass on the cost to the consumer, you don't really think that they will pay for it do you?

It is starting to sound odd that health insurance is tied to jobs. That's not true anywhere else, even in places with 100% private insurance systems like Switzerland. And the fact that none of those countries pays more than 55% of what we pay, that they all have great access (the Swiss have more Drs per capita that we do!), better health outcomes, Drs who still drive Porsches, and none of the crappy problems like the British, indicates we need to look at what we really need to change. Of course, a major issue is that we have 35-40% overhead from our system, while the other advanced countries with private systems have 6-7% overhead. And Obamacare pretty much puts into law the huge profits the insurers and 'health management' companies make. We need health reform, but it involves ignoring the cries and whimpers of the insurers when laws are proposed requiring even 80% of premiums to be spent on actual health care (i.e. payouts).

health insurance wouldn`t make any difference to me about a job,i live in canada.

Fred-2202350

Bravo for being informed. Switzerland's healthcare is private, true. BUT it is aided by the government. In fact, the Suisse system is basically what Obamacare is - everyone has to "buy" their own insurance, but where citizens are unable to afford it, the government supplements payments. As so many people are in the insurance "pool" premiums are affordable. And this in a tiny country, who by the way maintains one of the highest per capita incomes in the world. It certainly hasn't hurt the Suisse any.

Americans need to wake up and look at the rest of the world and not fall for the crap Republicans are dishing out. Read, get informed, find out for yourself how it REALLY is elsewhere.

Finally. A voice of reason. I would bet you that every one of these that are falling for the socialist, propaganda against the healthcare that does not take effect until 2013? Got their news from Fox, the program with a right wing agenda. Obamacare is actually the republican creation. If Obama had his way and the dems had their way, we would have a public option. It amazes me how gullible people are. Does anyone at all research for truth anymore? Follow fox to the cliff and when they say jump, by all means jump!

Yer premiums are going up cause they know they can gouge you and you will blame obama, Foolish Foolish people! Ask em what they bottom line is in profits this year? Walmart too for that matter! Where do you think all the people go when they get their pay cut? They quit going to target and kroger and publix. They go to walmart and buy their cheap crap cause they can afford it better. Walmarts profits are anything but down. OMG, we are done!