A possible unintended side effect of Obamacare

[TheKentuckian]

36. Probably a good thing but I'm not really personally pleased as that piece will make my

insurance cost higher because it means my company can no longer do "banding" which allows high earners to subsidize costs for lower income employees. I feel this was a very progressive policy that benefited the many within the context of our company and I can't say that I'm happy to see it go, even if it makes folks more aware of the real cost of their coverage because I don't see how it means much since the knowledge of that value doesn't translate anywhere not being lawfully considered owed compensation. If we were entitled to compensation to make up for those dollars if plans are ended or benefits reduced then it would mean something when the rubber hits the road but there is nothing to provide any anchor point to the number that I can see.

This is where the unions are rightfully pissed, they have traded away wages over decades to keep good coverage and now that compensation will be robbed, in my opinion (though I have always felt that wages should have been the focus for many reasons, most importantly a bigger paycheck is always a noticeable benefit of membership while maintaining coverage levels is less apparent and over time becomes baseline) and now in AusterityLand, they will never recoup the losses.

Of course I already understand that my buddy who brings home 5k+ more than me has a much lower overall compensation package than I do because he gets no insurance, no disability, no life insurance, no "retirement", and like a week of PTO so I don't need the reminder on my W-2 for a decade or two to "get it" and since "getting it" doesn't translate those dollars to ca$h to me if the cost of the benefit is reduced then I see little to no power in this knowledge. By the same token, I don't personally care about the often ballyhooed rebates because they just go back to the plan sponsor, who can use the money as they see fit and do not have to reduce employee share to reflect it as long as it goes back to healthcare which in this case seems to be funding a bogus ass wellness plan and maybe set aside supposedly to hedge against future costs or some such accounting trick.

I also tend to think the push to shove us into these high deductible plans will keep ratcheting up over time too, which also fails to translate to a wage increase.

I'm glad the individual market is having the worst law of the jungle excesses sanded down some and that the destitute will largely get a better shake but keep in mind most folks are covered and most are in the group market and those less than enthralled will potentially be less pleased than they are now.