[Sean Adams]

More than likely you have seen the town hall meetings that have been going on. American citizens for both sides of the debate are working hard to make their feelings known and get the ears of their legislators. I have been following the health care reform debate as best I can, but to be honest, it is hard to ever really truly know what is true and what is not.

Depending on what you read, what channel you watch, and what sites you visit, there are a lot of issues - expense, death panels, rationed care, less talented providers, etc.

I am very curious what the members of LawnSite think. How do you feel it will effect you and your business? There is conversation that if you have a business with employees you might be either required to provide health insurance or pay a penalty/tax if you choose not to provide coverage.

It is not easy right now to own and operate a business as it is. Would health care reform help or hurt your business? Your family?

 

[White Gardens]

I haven't been keeping up with what the reform will do to small businesses.

But, as an individual struggling to pay for health care and stay healthy, I would love to see something to help cut the cost of staying healthy.

If we don't have a workforce that can work, then what ??

 

[LushGreenLawn]

In a few threads that I have posted to in the past, the main thing I would like to see are provisions for people who are in need of constant medical care. If you are healthy, individual health plans are pretty inexpensive. Some of us cannot get affordable insurance because we are sick.

To answer your question, if they required every employer to provide health insurance, I think it would have a negative impact in our industry, and a neutrel impact in others.

If every employer had to provide coverage, it would be a level playing field. If ones price goes up because of it, everyones price goes up.

The exception would be industrys like ours and construction, where you are competing with so many that skirt the laws and would just pay their guys under the table. The gap in pricing between the lowballers and the legetimate companys would grow.

 

[capelawncare.com]

I have a daughter with a congenital heart defect (repaired) In virtually of Europe where they practice socialized medicine, they would NOT have done the operation required to save her life.

I have BCBS, and even though my premiums are sky high. I would rather have less money in my pocket, and know that my daughter will recieve the care that she needs.

 

[beegreenlandcare]

Here is 1 subject where I really need to say something. Its alonger story so please bear with me.
When I was 10 I was diagnosed with Crohns Disease. Its a disease of the bowels/intestines. Many times surgery is needed to cut out and reattach bad sections, other times drug therapy is used. Depending on how bad u have it, the symptoms can vary from debilitating to a very manageable lifestyle. I'm now 44 and fall into the latter categagory.
Here's where the health insurance issue comes in. I have had high risk state health plan (HIRSHP) that was outrageous "major medical" only insurance. I missed a payment, got cancelled. I am now on title 19, what WI calls "Badgercare +" . I don't like taking "freebies" (actually its not a freebie, we still have to pay a little for it)so, I've shopped for insurance (private). Guess what? NO ONE WILL TAKE ME!!!! As soon as I tell them I have Crohn's, I mite as well tell them I have terminal cancer-automatic denial. So, at this point, I'm among the "working poor" that can't get insurance. I bust my hump earning a living and can't get health insurance at an affordable price. When I did have HIRSHP it was $512/month w/ $2000 Ded.
Tell me folks, whats wrong with this picture?

 

[LushGreenLawn]

Here is 1 subject where I really need to say something. Its alonger story so please bear with me.
When I was 10 I was diagnosed with Crohns Disease. Its a disease of the bowels/intestines. Many times surgery is needed to cut out and reattach bad sections, other times drug therapy is used. Depending on how bad u have it, the symptoms can vary from debilitating to a very manageable lifestyle. I'm now 44 and fall into the latter categagory.
Here's where the health insurance issue comes in. I have had high risk state health plan (HIRSHP) that was outrageous "major medical" only insurance. I missed a payment, got cancelled. I am now on title 19, what WI calls "Badgercare +" . I don't like taking "freebies" (actually its not a freebie, we still have to pay a little for it)so, I've shopped for insurance (private). Guess what? NO ONE WILL TAKE ME!!!! As soon as I tell them I have Crohn's, I mite as well tell them I have terminal cancer-automatic denial. So, at this point, I'm among the "working poor" that can't get insurance. I bust my hump earning a living and can't get health insurance at an affordable price. When I did have HIRSHP it was $512/month w/ $2000 Ded.
Tell me folks, whats wrong with this picture?

I'm a post transplant patient, and have the same types of issues. No one thinks about us when talking about insurance. They assume everyone is healthy.

 

[AI Inc]

My company is based in Mass and Mass has mandatory health Ins. I dont have to provide it as we work less total man hrs then what meets the requirement. Those with more employees have made 3 or 4 choices .
1 Pay it , and watch profits cut buy half, lets face it , no one is going to pay $100 to get their lawn cut.
2. move their buss out of state.Has already happened to a lot of co,s within a 1/2 hr of border towns.
3 Layoff off 1-2 guys and hire em back under the table.
4 , layoff everyone and have em work for cash , excepting only cash for payments.

This industry is filled with lowballing , tax evading scrubs , everyone see,s em almost every day.To think you will be on a level playing field if you provide coverage is walking blind.

 

[LushGreenLawn]

My company is based in Mass and Mass has mandatory health Ins. I dont have to provide it as we work less total man hrs then what meets the requirement. Those with more employees have made 3 or 4 choices .
1 Pay it , and watch profits cut buy half, lets face it , no one is going to pay $100 to get their lawn cut.
2. move their buss out of state.Has already happened to a lot of co,s within a 1/2 hr of border towns.
3 Layoff off 1-2 guys and hire em back under the table.
4 , layoff everyone and have em work for cash , excepting only cash for payments.

This industry is filled with lowballing , tax evading scrubs , everyone see,s em almost every day.To think you will be on a level playing field if you provide coverage is walking blind.

Not sure if that last coment was directed at me, but if you read my post I said it may be a level playing field in other industries, but in our industry, as well as some others, it would widen the gap between the lowballers and legetimate companies, which is a short version of what you said.

 

[AI Inc]

Nope wasnt directed at anyone in particular. I happened to grow up in the const industry and am now in the green industry. I have sen over many yrs how many people live cash lives .
I realy dont want to be paying $2k a month for employees HI while trying to compete with companies not doing so. It is already tough enough paying comp, liability , unemployment ins and competing aginst those that dont. Dont realy need to add more to that list.

 

[TPnTX]

I don't spend anytime worrying about if I will have to provide HC to my employees. When they speak of small business they a 7 crew Landscape company isn't going to be hit anytime soon. Taxed maybe but not required to provide HC.

I have a individual policy with a 5k deductible. I costs me a couple a hundred a month and I'm a healthy non-smoker.

When I go to the Dr. I go to a county run clinic. The best Drs from our community work there I guess they volunteer. It 45.00 for a office visit. Blood work is 35.00. Compare that to a regular office visit.

My niece last week had to go to the ER. She had some blockage in her upper digestive system. aka constipated. One vistit. One CT scan. how much? just the hospital, no dr bill yet, how much? 7k.

Okay do we have a genius in the house that can tell me where the problem lies?

If the government wanted to fix health care in the best interest of the us citizen, they would regulate costs and get a grip on what really hurts the average person. Too many people think they aren't affected by this because the have insurance provided by their employer. So for too many years insurance, hospitals and pharmaceutical manufacturers have "had their way" with us. Everyone is affected and one day soon they will know why and how.

Feds. Fix the VA and then come tell me you can fix healthcare in America. Control the costs then come tell me you see a need to distribute health care to all Americans.

Why is it that Walmart gets it but our Federal or State Administration doesn't. Why is that?

 

[beegreenlandcare]

...Dear President Barack, would it be possibble for the American people to be allowed to have health insurance that has a preminum which is les than most people's house payment?:dizzy::laugh::laugh:

 

[Total Grounds Maintenance]

Me and my kids have health care through my wife so I am lucky but if something were to happen to her like disability we are in trouble. My daughter has spina bifida and a trip to the children's hosp would bankrupt me without insurance. Look, I don't like the government in my business anymore then the next guy but certain things in life should not be run on a "for profit" system and one in my opinion is health care. That doesn't't mean the doctors work for free it just means that there won't be any investors trying to figure out how to squeeze $$ out of a system that bets on the fact that they insure more healthy people as opposed to sick people. When you have a company that makes electronics, security systems, parts for nuclear warheads and bio chemicals AND HEALTH CARE??? something isn't right my friend. Now should the government be the oner to run it? Maybe not?

 

[Craig3]

I can only base my opinion off the 1 plan they tried to ram through since we havent seen the new options on the table, but here are some of my thoughts:
*They claim we have 50ish million un-insured. If you take out the illegal immigrants, those that simply choose not to be insured (either those w/ plenty of money or the younger crowd that dont need coverage as bad), and those who arent covered for 3-4 months due to job change/etc. you end up w/ around 15million chronically un-insured.
*SO we actually have around 5% of the citizens that need insurance
*Medicare, Medicaid, USPS, and Social Security have all been run into the ground by the gov.
Why the Hell would you want these people in charge of your Life saving health care?

Solutions... Tort reform (look at how it lowered costs in TX), Health Savings accounts, Tax credits to help pay for premiums.

just my .02

 

[Total Grounds Maintenance]

I can only base my opinion off the 1 plan they tried to ram through since we havent seen the new options on the table, but here are some of my thoughts:
*They claim we have 50ish million un-insured. If you take out the illegal immigrants, those that simply choose not to be insured (either those w/ plenty of money or the younger crowd that dont need coverage as bad), and those who arent covered for 3-4 months due to job change/etc. you end up w/ around 15million chronically un-insured.
*SO we actually have around 5% of the citizens that need insurance
*Medicare, Medicaid, USPS, and Social Security have all been run into the ground by the gov.
Why the Hell would you want these people in charge of your Life saving health care?

Solutions... Tort reform (look at how it lowered costs in TX), Health Savings accounts, Tax credits to help pay for premiums.

just my .02

I agree. Perhaps an agency that it not run by the government but operates for the exclusive benefit of the policy holders. A plan like this needs time for all the questions need to be answered

 

[turfbuilder]

I can only base my opinion off the 1 plan they tried to ram through since we havent seen the new options on the table, but here are some of my thoughts:
*They claim we have 50ish million un-insured. If you take out the illegal immigrants, those that simply choose not to be insured (either those w/ plenty of money or the younger crowd that dont need coverage as bad), and those who arent covered for 3-4 months due to job change/etc. you end up w/ around 15million chronically un-insured.
*SO we actually have around 5% of the citizens that need insurance
*Medicare, Medicaid, USPS, and Social Security have all been run into the ground by the gov.
Why the Hell would you want these people in charge of your Life saving health care?

Solutions... Tort reform (look at how it lowered costs in TX), Health Savings accounts, Tax credits to help pay for premiums.

just my .02

No politicians including Obama will touch the illegal alien problem crushing our health care system.

The hospitals in the states on the west coast are bankrupt because of illegal immigrants .

We have national healthcare the way it is with medicade. Let's fix medicare and medicade before adding more gov. run healthcare.

 

[americanlawn]

IMO health care is a personal responsibility --- NOT a "right" (like 'Dems' say -- the "government" will take care of you). Many Americans choose NOT to pay for health insurance in order to save money -- mostly these are healthy folks who work hard for a living - yet pay high taxes for Knuckle-draggers. That ain't right.

If one has health probs to begin with, I wonder why I should have to pay for THEIR expenses??? I figure it's their prob, so why do they want "my money"?? Should not these problems be resolved by those who created them? What ever happened to family members & the Church when these problems were not the responsibility of hard-working Americans?

 

[grasswhacker]

Most families could afford health insurance if they got rid of the following:
1. Cable/Satellite
2. Cell Phones
3. Internet
4. Smoking
5. Alcohol
6. Illegal drugs
7. Ipods/WI/ Play stations/video games, entertainment electronics
8. Eating out

If those who truly want insurance stopped these things, most would be able to purchase HCI or at least come close.
Business should not be penalized if they do not provide coverage. It will cause many to layoff or reduce hours to keep from HCI benefit or the levied additional tax by Big Brother.
And I do not want to pay for someone else's care. It is not a right, it's a choice at least for now.

 

[turfbuilder]

IMO health care is a personal responsibility --- NOT a "right" (like 'Dems' say -- the "government" will take care of you). Many Americans choose NOT to pay for health insurance in order to save money -- mostly these are healthy folks who work hard for a living - yet pay high taxes for Knuckle-draggers. That ain't right.

If one has health probs to begin with, I wonder why I should have to pay for THEIR expenses??? I figure it's their prob, so why do they want "my money"?? Should not these problems be resolved by those who created them? What ever happened to family members & the Church when these problems were not the responsibility of hard-working Americans?

It's the great society that liberals love.
Let's penalize hard working people that make good decisions in life so we can take care of all the slackers and illegals. :hammerhead: