Despite the complication and expense of complying with the health insurance requirements of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, employers are finding that the alternative isn’t any better, says Michael Bertaut, a health care economist with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana. “I have yet to be in [a meeting] with a group where paying the fines and dropping coverage turned out to be a good alternative,” says Michael Bertaut, a health care economist with Blue Cross. “If you write a big check to the government so that you don’t have to offer coverage to your employees, chances are they’re going to find out, and it’s not exactly a morale booster.” Also, the fines are not tax-deductible, so providing insurance may actually be cheaper. However, some employers may find ways to restructure their workforce to stay under the employee threshold where the fines kick in. Bertaut was one of the speakers at the Health Care Reform Forum hosted by Business Report on Tuesday. If you weren’t able to attend the forum, you can still check out some information provided by presenters here. (Subscription required.) —David Jacobs
Today’s poll question: How would you feel about your company paying a fine to the federal government in lieu of offering you health insurance?
