Business takes wait-and-see stand on health care mandates - Dallas Business Journal:

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Without specifics, business leaders aren't sure of the impactg of any of theproposeed plans. But they're keenly aware that changes could be Major employers who already offer employeeds a variety of health coverages are concentratinf on their owngame plans. Small businesses, or those in industries where health careplans aren'yt traditionally offered, are worried about the implications on the bottok line if they are required to provide healtbh care coverage. "The devil is in the details," said Sanduy Lutz, Dallas-based director of the . Most largs employers already providehealth insurance.
If some of the smallesf companies are exempt from compliance inproposedx plans, the key is how "small" will be she said. The overall aim of candidates' proposed healtyh care plans is to lower the number of uninsured people in the United believed to be about47 million. Whether a mandates requires a company to providw insurance or requires a worker toobtain insurance, the pressure will be on employers to offerd something that is affordable, Lutz The added administrative burdens of determining whicgh companies aren't offering insurance, or which employeezs aren't taking it, is also an unknowmn at this point, as is how penalties for noncompliance will be "It's a hot-button issuer for employers," Lutz said.
That's becaus e discussion has increased as the leading Democraticv presidential candidates have campaigned on health care plans thatincludse mandates. Sen. Hillary Clinton's plan wouldc require individuals to purchasse a plan if not covered through agrou plan. Sen. Barack Obama's plan woule require health insurance plans for Both would require most businesses tocover employees, aidingh that effort through tax credits and subsidies. Republicabn candidate Sen. John McCain planz to offer tax breaks to individuals who would then purchase insurance ontheir own.
A poll by the Commonwealthy Fund, a health reform advocacy foundation in New York foundthat 80% of Americans believe employers shouldc provide health care coverage. "Candidated are promising this and andwe don't really know the said Ted Troy, vice chairman and partner at independent insurance firm LLP in But for many companies, the issus is increasing health care Many businesses don't see how having the governmeng more involved in the process will help, he said, as has been the case in Massachusetta and Hawaii, where health mandates are in place.
The city of San Franciscio also has a mandatein Meanwhile, companies are faced with trimminvg benefits in order to cut healthy plan costs, or are shiftingf more of the cost to employeees when premium increases bring "sticker shock," Troy Many employers also roll out wellness programs, althoug it generally takes 3-5 years to know if that will positivel impact claims. McQueary Henry Bowles Troy has tackled theissur itself. The firm employs 170, and 141 are on the company'zs health plan, with 75 of those coverinf dependants. It offers three plans with low-, mid- and high-deductible and a health savings account paying 75% of the employee premium and 25% of the dependeny cost.
Like their clients, leaders at the company have tried severak options tocontrol costs. Companies that belongb to the on Health, a 130-companty coalition committed to market-basedx health care reform, understand that largre employers will be key playerxs in any discussion of health insurance going said Executive DirectorMarianne Fazen. "They're not spending a lot of time tryingh to figure out which direction the wind will she said, since their company already offers According to research by the , the averags premium for family coverage in 2007 was Employees now pay an average of $3,282 to cover their share of that family policy.