That didnt take long....
 

http://www.businessweek.com/news/201...-update1-.html


AT&T previously received a tax-free benefit from the government to subsidize health-care costs for retirees, who would otherwise be on a Medicare Part D plan. Under the new bill, AT&T will no longer be able to deduct that subsidy.

“As a result of this legislation, including the additional tax burden, AT&T will be evaluating prospective changes to the active and retiree health-care benefits offered by the company,” the carrier said in the filing.

AT&T’s announcement was followed about an hour later by 3M, the St. Paul, Minnesota-based maker of products ranging from Post-It Notes to respiratory masks. 3M said it expects a one-time expense of $85 million to $90 million after tax, or about 12 cents a share, in the first quarter because of the new law, according to a statement. 3M had about 75,000 employees as of Feb. 5.

Michael Coe, a spokesman for the carrier, declined to comment. Peter Thonis, a spokesman for Verizon Communications Inc., which also employs more than 200,000 people, declined to comment.

New York-based Verizon, the second-largest U.S. phone company, told employees in a note after the law was signed that the tax will make the subsidy less valuable to employers like Verizon and so “may have significant implications for both retirees and employers.”


In other words employees and retirees at the countries biggest companies are going to pay the price for the current administrations zeal to punish businesses. What was that i heard about this bill not effecting the middle class?

"Affecting," not "effecting."

Okay, so you're against gov't paying for health care, and now, that the gov't is removing a tax break (which means that gov't was in effect paying for AT&T's employees' health care) you're also against that? So you're against the gov't paying and you're against the company paying. Who do you think should pay? The retirees?

Thanks for the spelling correction.

But try to follow along with the topic here. This was sold as a bill that was a win/win for everyone (except those pesky rich people making 200k or these CEO indulging corporations). It has taken less than a week for it to be a loss/loss for the employees and retirees of American business.

The idea that American corporations would simply "take" the higher taxes or removal of a tax incentive was ridiclous. The Dems knew this was coming down or they were simply burying their heads in the sand. This being American workers and retirees from our biggest and best companies getting lesser coverage, paying higher rates or being dumped into the govt pool.

Basically they lied to everyone. This IS going to cost the middle class more, you very well MAY have to change Doctors, and the govt programs ARE going to be overwhelmed and become further bloated leading to that supposedly new, streamlined, money saving system to be more of the same old, complicated, money buring entitlement program.

It isnt about what i think or believe or desire. This is simply about important issues surrounding this bill being exposed less than a week after its passage. You can close your eyes and pretend that it isnt funded by taking from the middle class and leaving them in many cases with worse coverage but that wont change the fact it is. Perhaps you are perfectly willing to take that hit. But most people wont and the fact that the Dems and Obama were so willing to cobble together any possible revenue sources to make their numbers palatable to pass this bill makes me think that there are going to be a whole lot more of the "surprises" coming in the future.

Does you expect anything less from the conniving, misleading, lieing O'Dumbass and the rest of his Democratic cronies?

Four more years baby

Americans favor the new Health Care plan, the economy will continue to improve, stock market climbing..

You will need more shovels to dig your ignorant...albeit patriotic ass...a deeper bunker.

Where is the money going to come for this so called health care? Oh thats right taxes will be raised. How is raising taxes going to improve the economy. Alot of Americans don't favor this health care bill. Obviously you don't read the newspaper or watch the news. Im sure your brain washed by O'Dumbass.

Dude I hope you are right , my step dad retired from AT&T and is in treatment for multiple myloma , the insurance he has with their plan covers just about all of his costs . Do you think the company will have enough money to keep on with the really good insurance ? Do you really think that if they cant keep providing him with the insurance for his treatments that the government will provide him the exact same benefits that this private company has ?

My company announced that it may have to drop all retirees first and are looking at reducing the current employee health benefit.


Obama campaigned on a healthcare plan that will reduce the average healthcare costs by $2,500. Oh and healthcare is now a right. So...

I demand my right to $2,500 :rolleyes:

of course a reduction in Obama speak means it was going to cost me $5,000 more but now with his new plan it is only going to cost me an extra $2,500. (not counting the increase in taxes when the Bush tax cust expire)

I wonder how many companies will simply leave the united states.

My sister has lost her job and my cousin was just told that her job is gone.
(I'm certain they both voted for Obama) I'm just saying ...I could be next.

Not a chance. Obama is a one and done that will take years to clean up his mess.

Yes I do see big companies sending as much of their work force overseas as possible.

We'll see..I admit my post was an attempt to troll out certain righties here ( not you), but I seriously think that if the ecomony turns in the next 2 years he has a very good chance. Especially if Palin and the Tea Baggers continue to splinter the Republicans

I don't typically post on political items, but I would think a lot more companies are going to "reconsider" what they're doing on the health insurance front and by 2014, pay the employer penalty and let their employees try their luck with these state-based exchanges.

Brock Lesner was in Canada when he got sick(er) and said, "I realised quickly that I had to get out of Canadian healthcare" I'm almost certain that it wasn't you promoting Canadian Healthcare but I don't remember anyone on the left speaking up and saying what a joke it is. I encourage you to argue with him :p

The economy will improve but only after the republicans take control of congress.;)

Just like
 

it improved during the last couple years of the Bush years?

Come on.....

The economy is cyclical in nature and frankly it does not matter all that much who is in power. Frankly, both parties do a poor job in running the country and also dealing with the issues. That said, it would be nice after 8 years of the far right and a couple of the far left to see something that resembles the middle.

One of the most accomplished first-years of any President, ever :tro:

Stem-cell research changes alone were life-altering, outstanding ...

FTFY ;)

LOL

All he did was change the funding for stem cell research, not actually conduct it.

Funny that despite such a great first year, so many people who approved of him going into that year no longer did after the year.

Yeah. That's kinda important, though ;)

Its not like there wasnt stem cell research before.

Alas, doesn't appear so ...

Of course there was. But cutting edge scientific research does so much better with government support, funding and acknowledgment as to it's validity, and when it's not funded equally to creationism :D