A growing problem: Employers screwing workers and blaming it on Obamacare.

[nobodyspecial]

During the holidays, I heard several tales of hours cut or premiums increased and this was attributed to Obamacare. For example, my friend's employer changed the entire retiree benefit structure and substantially increased the amount workers pay toward the premium. And it was all blamed on Obamacare, which it seemed all the employees believed.

Have you encountered this among people you talk to? How can we counteract it on a larger scale?

[Panasonic]

1. Call bullshit on them.

Ask the employers how Obamacare hurts employers - it is supposed to HELP the employers...

Idjits.

[0rganism]

9. problem is, they already know it's BS

business owners doing this are willfully attempting to mislead. even if you could contact them it probably wouldn't help.

the trick is helping employees understand the situation so they don't blame the people trying to help them.

[Jackpine Radical]

2. The way you counter any of this stuff-via social media,

email chains, etc.

The conventional media aren't gonna do it for us.

Places like this, Truthout, Reader Supported News, etc. are great for getting the word out to the plugged-in, and the plugged-in need to do the last mile of distribution themselves via the places frequented by the lower-information types. Fb, Twitter, whatever.

[bemildred]

3. I blow hot and cold on this.

On the one hand, I would END employer paid health care in favor of universal tax paid health care; however, it should be done in a "responsible way" so people are not left without health care, so these guys are just being cheap assholes.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

8. maddening, idnit

[bemildred]

11. Yeah. Definitely.

But there is a lot of that sort of thing in life, you get used to it. You just have to do the best you can.

[CreekDog]

4. i'd ask what the overall premium is

and compare it from year to year.

if the employer and employee share increase at the same rate, they may have a point --to be blamed on the insurance companies.

if not, then there may be cost shifting which is really a savings for the employer.

[LiberalFighter]

6. It would have to go with your last reason based on the fact that

insurance companies for most businesses the 80/20 medical ratio applies. Rebates must be paid to the customers otherwise.

Employees should pay close attention the the percentage of the premiums they have paid in the past and what they are paying now.

[glowing]

5. These companies have been trying to figure out

how to cut off employee bennies and let the people fend for theirselves. The penalty fee for not covering is substantially less than the amount they have to pay towards medical coverage.

It's lies about the program to pad the CEO's little pocket and become more unaccountable to actual people.

Eventually, I see Medicare for all as the only solution left to go towards because companies don't want to pay for healthcare... And quite frankly, it's a stupid way of our country creating access to health care for people who need it like they need food or shelter.

The Republicans are making their party extinct. Many Dems coming into the tent are more like sensible old pukes from the past. I see a real possibility for a progressive party to spring from the dead ashes of the Republican Party that is essentially dead. Let it die.

[Chan790]

7. Planned destruction.

If you don't think this was foreseen, I'd like to sell you a bridge.

This entirely-predictable action by RW money-grubbing employers was not only foreseen, it paves the way for a later fix that is state-run non-employer-related insurance.

[Recursion]

10. The long game here has always been to choke off employer-purchased health insurance

It sucks that it's so disruptive to do it this way, but this is what has to happen, eventually.

[Robyn66]

12. My husbands company

has already said they wont be able to afford to offer health insurance by 2016. They are a serious RW scumbag outfit that bought out the company he has been working for, for 20 years. They also said "we would never tell you who to vote for BUT of Obama gets re-elected we just dont know WHAT will happen and what we will be FORCED to do" douchebags!

[BanTheGOP]

13. SUE the crap out of them!

This is EXACTLY what the Obama Administration had warned employers NOT to do. Many lawyers should take this on contingency, as they love cases which are easy to prove. If the owners don't want to take responsibility, then they should just let the government take over the company anyway.