Washblog

A number of state lawmakers who were initially skeptical about the Fair Share Health Care bills, SB 6356 and HB 2517, now say that they support them, and are calling for votes.

“I have had concerns about the Fair Share bill as presented in prior sessions,” said Rep. Jeannie Darneille (D-Tacoma).  “But after learning more about the 2006 proposed legislation -- and the growing problem of certain large employers shifting health-care costs onto taxpayers -- I've decided to support it, and I look forward to a vote.  I am a small business employer with more than 30 employees, and I budget 24 percent of their wages to support their benefit package.
I feel the 9 percent proposed in this bill is fair.”

SB 6356 and HB 2517 would require businesses with 5,000 or more employees to spend at least 9 percent of their payroll costs on employee health care, or pay the difference into the state’s health care fund.  A similar law was enacted this year in Maryland and more than 30 other states are also considering such legislation.  Both Washington bills have been approved by committees and are awaiting floor votes.  The bills are supported by State Treasurer Mike Murphy and Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler.

"At a time when state government is struggling to afford its health care obligations and programs, it was very frustrating to learn the extent to which big companies are shifting their health costs onto taxpayers,” said Rep. Tom Campbell (R-Roy) who, like Rep. Darneille, didn’t co-sponsor the bill but now supports it.  “I’ve also been impressed by the number of business leaders who have stepped up to support the Fair Share bill and said, ‘This isn’t right. Everybody should be doing their fair share’.”

The Fair Share Health Care bills are part of a legislative package supported by a Coalition of business, labor, religious and community organizations that also includes restoring 10,000 Basic Health Plan slots, more coverage for uninsured children, and premium assistance to small businesses’ employees who are under 200 percent of the federal poverty level.  SB 2572, the Small Employer Health Insurance Partnership Program, has been approved, 57-41, by the House.

“I’m now convinced that this bill has enough support to pass,” said Rep. Brian Sullivan
(D-Mukilteo), another Fair Share supporter who isn’t among the House bill’s 24 co-sponsors.  “The more we learn about this cost-shifting problem and the erosion of health-care coverage, the more popular this idea gets.  I mean, why exactly are taxpayers spending $12 million a year to subsidize the largest corporation in the world?”

A new Senate report indicates that a handful of large employers offloaded about $25 million in annual costs to state taxpayers. Wal-Mart alone accounted for $12 million of that total, which does not include dependent costs or costs to the federal government.

In a recent national poll by Lake Research , 83 percent of Americans said that they support requiring large, profitable companies either to provide health insurance for their employees or pay a percentage of their payroll into a healthcare fund.

For details about the Fair Share bill and the Coalition’s four point plan to put the brakes on erosion of health coverage and begin addressing the needs of the uninsured please visit http://www.fairsharehealthcare.net

To view a TV ad on the issue, please visit http://www.ivotehealthcare.org