Affordable Care Act: What's Going to Happen

Ok so companies have spent millions of dollars trying to block and subsequently removed parts or all of the Affordable Care Act. The reason being, providing health care to full time employees is going to cut some into corporate profits. Let's put aside the reality that happy and healthy workers are better workers and ALL data shows that better paid / better supported workers produce more for the company. The talking heads of these companies don't care about that. They only care about short term profit. Why? Because that is what the American economy is built on. Short term, giant gains. Then you cut and run with your big severance bonus.

So, what's going to happen?

This:

The Affordable Care Act requires companies to provide health care to employees who work more than 30 hours a week, i.e. "full time".

So: Companies will employ workers for 27, 28, and 29 hrs a week.

Why? Because if the employee averages over 30 a week, and the company doesn't provide health care, the company will be fined several thousand dollars per person each year this happens.

Why is this important?

It is important because you're creating a permanent class of part time workers. People who will HAVE to work several jobs to pay the bills and will still NEVER receive health care.

The Affordable Care Act will fail to provide health care to all Americans.

Why?

Because you've left it up to companies to find ways to wiggle out of the mandate. And they will wiggle. They're doing so right now. They're all planning internally. Many places have begun hiring and reducing hours. This will continue all year, right up to 2014 and the beginning of the ACA health care requirement.

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Useful information regarding employer penalties: http://healthreform.kff.org/the-basics/employer-penalty-flowchart.aspx

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So, single payer or not?