|
|
|
 |
|
Home / Washington Business - March 2006 / Points of View: Bad Public Policy Doesn't Fix Problem |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Points of View: Bad Public Policy Doesn't Fix Problem |
|
|
|
Written On: March 2006 |
|
|
|
Written By: by Jennifer Holder - Wal-Mart Public Affairs Spokesperson for Washington, Oregon and Alaska |
|
|
|
There are 46 million uninsured Americans, many of whom live here in Washington. We must find ways to make certain these people have access to affordable health care and we must do it now.
Sadly, the so-called "Fair Share Health Care" legislation placed before lawmakers in Olympia last month would not have addressed the ballooning costs associated with providing health care.
Instead of looking at the positive economic impact and health care solutions companies provide, the bill took a completely wrong-headed approach. It actually penalized employers who offer health coverage to their employees by mandating that they spend a randomly-determined percentage of payroll dollars on health care. "Fair Share Health Care" measures simply impose bad-for-business mandates on employers and send a loud-and-clear message to the business community: "Don’t come here."
To confuse people even further about this misguided legislation, proponents leaked outdated and inflated public assistance numbers to the press—a dubious act currently under investigation—about the bill's primary target, Wal-Mart. The secret list claimed that 20 percent of Wal-Mart's Washington associates received state health care subsidies—a major factual error.
Where did this figure come from? No one knows. The methodology behind the report was questionable at best. We do not know how Washington collected and compiled this list.
Ironically, a report released by the governor's office in late February shows that Washington had about the same number of workers on Medicaid in 2004 as Wal-Mart. So if singling out employers based on an arbitrary number is the answer to solving the nation’s health care crisis, then proponents of "Fair Share" legislation need look no further than Washington’s roster of state employees.
But forcing employers of any size to spend a random percentage on health benefits isn’t the answer.
Companies of all sizes across Washington are dealing with spiraling health care costs. Instead of using false statistics to push bad policy, lawmakers should find real solutions to the health care crisis.
Wal-Mart supports an inclusive study to find out who is really on public assistance. But the data collection must be fair, comprehensive and accurate—unlike the bogus study leaked to the media. The collection needs to include all employers in the state. This is not just a Wal-Mart problem. State and local governments, non-profits, and large and small employers all struggle to pay for the increasing costs of health care. Any legislation that unfairly singles out one employer isn't going to fix this problem.
To disclose all the facts, it's necessary to determine how long an individual has been on public assistance, how long they have been with their current employer, whether they are full- or part-time employees, and whether they are currently on public assistance. There may be cases where employers are taking people off of America’s uninsured list, like Wal-Mart is doing.
Just last year, Wal-Mart created more than 125,000 jobs nationwide, many of them in neighborhoods that desperately need jobs. And, Wal-Mart actually helps take people off of Medicaid. Seven percent of associates are on Medicaid when they join Wal-Mart. Within two years, that number drops to 3 percent. In fact, Wal-Mart has helped more than 160,000 associates get off the rolls of the uninsured.
That's because Wal-Mart is taking significant steps to make our health benefits even more affordable and accessible to the works we employ. This year, Wal-Mart introduced a new Value Plan. Now both full- and part-time associates can access health coverage for as little as $23 per month for individuals and 50 cents per day for children. We are also significantly reducing the health care waiting period for part-time Wal-Mart associates. And children of part-time associates will become eligible for health coverage as soon as the parent becomes eligible.
Affordable health care is a challenge facing every state and every business in the country. Legislators should work together with business and community leaders to bring create real solutions to this problem.
The people of Washington are counting on them to do so.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
