tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906998.post2034913732076294311..comments2024-03-26T22:42:06.412-07:00Comments on TAG Blog: Guvmint Health CareSteve Huletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05537689111433326847noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906998.post-81129935319563374812007-08-26T22:11:00.000-07:002007-08-26T22:11:00.000-07:00Thanks, Steve and Jeff, for the clarification. Tho...Thanks, Steve and Jeff, for the clarification. Though, as you say,there's no immediate danger of this bill passing unamended, it's good to be aware of things like this anyway.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906998.post-29965055383231499322007-08-26T21:03:00.000-07:002007-08-26T21:03:00.000-07:00AB8, and other similar proposals, would not mandat...AB8, and other similar proposals, would not mandate that employers switch from a private of multi-employer plan to a state-sponsored plan.<BR/><BR/>This particular proposal would mandate that employers spend no less than 7.5% of their payroll on health insurance. Obtaining health insurance for all employed Californians would be a good thing all around, as it would lower costs.<BR/><BR/>Here’s the problem. Our union health plan gets a lot of its funding from residuals and supplemental markets. This income remains relatively steady despite the roller-coaster of employment. It’s the reason why our insurance remains 100% employer funded, and why ours is the best health insurance in the entertainment industry.<BR/><BR/>But AB 8 doesn’t count those sources of funding against the 7.5% requirement. So if AB 8 passed without amendment, our employers would probably have to increase the hourly contributions, and they would push for reductions in residuals to compensate. The result would be a much less steady income stream for our plan.<BR/><BR/>Amendments have been introduced to address this problem. But as Steve just said, it's kind of a moot point since AB 8 has no chance of passing in this year's legislature.Jeff Massiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01025023288241410877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906998.post-21201511967565828412007-08-26T20:53:00.000-07:002007-08-26T20:53:00.000-07:00If the bill isn't amended, then there could be a p...If the bill isn't amended, then there could be a problem. <BR/><BR/>The IA has made clear it won't support the legislation without amendments protecting the Motion Picture Industry Health Plan. (The International ain't stupid.)<BR/><BR/>But the reality is, the bill won't become law in its present form. The guv has announced he's vetoing the measure (with or without amendments).<BR/><BR/>So don't lose any sleep over this. AB 8 isn't going anywhere.Steve Huletthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05537689111433326847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22906998.post-15846418183693938592007-08-26T19:39:00.000-07:002007-08-26T19:39:00.000-07:00Steve.. If it is not amended, how might this unive...Steve.. If it is not amended, how might this universal health plan(AB-8) impact our MP/IA plan specifically? I'm guessing that if it went through,it would wipe ours out completely, as we would then all be on the state plan. While universal health care is an ideal I can appreciate, my fear is that a fund of that enormity could easily be subject to gross incompetance and corruption.<BR/>Too many, if not most Insurance Companies and HMO's already suck in that regard,.. we know that-- but would it be of any greater comfort knowing that bureaucratic vultures may be drooling over the mere possibilty of such opportunity?<BR/>I can see it now..<BR/>The red tape will be horrendous and, certainly ,compared to the great care we in the IA are privileged to enjoy at present, the quality of the care, if indeed it is rendered at all, will be crap.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com