Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Healthcare for Clunkers


I know I'm coming off like one of those dirty "right wing-extremists" again. The truth is that I am looking at the very real implications that these bills being proposed and passed are going to have on my career and family's personal livelihood. There are certainly many ways the proposed healthcare bill will negatively affect small businesses throughout America. In my corner of the business world, it would essentially screw over every nursing agency (and other service based companies) because it will require everyone with a payroll over $400k per year to either fully insure EACH person on their payroll and their families (whether full OR part time). That sounds like a lot, but many small businesses have 5-10 employees that can easily combine to reach this total payroll amount. If they don't, then the business is forced to pay an 8% tax for all payroll. As you know, my business don't sell goods, such as hard-drives or coffee-pots; we sell nursing hours. This means that we are essentially having to pay 8% more for each dollar we normally pay out, which comprises a vast majority of our sales. Businesses which have a payroll of between $251k and $400k must pay a 6% tax. I see 4 potential options should this poorly thought out healthcare bill pass (for my business specifically).

1) We will have to raise our rates, which is a challenge, since we're often awarded rates by hospitals and have little influence here. Plus, if under government control, will hospitals even be allowed to pay us a higher rate if they desire?
2) Lower our nurse's pay, which will make far fewer nurses consider working for us - essentially drying up our pool of "product"
3) Lower expenses in the office, such as: fire office staff get reid of phone lines, move to a smaller office space, etc.
4) Close business altogether.

Will this "free" healthcare actually be free for the people we let go, or the nurses who's pay we must cut, or for the businesses who we stop purchasing from, or for my own family? It seems rather hasty and poorly thought out to so blindly plan to commit an entire nation's future earnings.

I believe that God will provide and I will continue to work toward improving my lot. I WILL NOT sit quietly by the wayside, while someone in Washington hands over my countless hours of hard work, sacrifice, and responsible personal conduct in exchange for a bunch of votes toward their re-election. People across America feel the same way I do, and they're getting just as mad. The tragedy, in my opinion, would be if your freedom was wrenched away and you didn't see it coming.

5 comments:

Michelle said...

Well said, my darling!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I see what you're saying, but what us fortunate people forget to think about are the many people who work countless hours, and even multiple jobs just to support their families; and then they STILL can't afford health care or their jobs don't provide it. Yes, we might have to make some sacrifices and we might have some small cutbacks on our part, but think about it--thanks to a Free Healthcare to those families, another child won't have to die or suffer because they will be able to go to a decent hospital or doctor's office to get the proper treatment they once could not afford. If you ask me, we should be thanking God that we live in a country where we can afford to do that. The fortunate people start getting upset when the unfortunate finally get a little help.

Anonymous said...

with all due respect, I do wonder if you’d feel this strongly against this bill passing if the Republican party had chose to go this route? I often feel that many of angry reactions regarding this is due to the originator. As a Christian nation, do we really pray about these things prior to reacting? Can’t we share our wealth?

Cameron Akrami said...

Response to "Anonymous" #1:
When we talk about "free healthcare", it's not actually free. You know that, right?... that an MRI and medication and nurse's pay will all still be there and cost money. I suppose it's kind of like taxes being withheld from your check...you never see it taken and thus, the sting is less. I heard it once said that if there was a man standing at the door to your office with his hand out on each payday, requiring you to cough up the money, rather than have it "magically" withheld, that there would be a revolution in this country.

Response to "Anonymous" #2
Your comment makes your position clear that I am not due respect, given that you believe me to be intellectually dishonest. Why would I support a crummy piece of legislation, regardless of who authored the drivel? Perhaps the sort of "identity" reactionism that you're ascribing to me is actually projectionism on your part. I'm all for sharing the wealth, and do so with a substantially large portion of our income. BUT!, I do so out of a freedom to give charitably...not at the end of a gun as you seem to be advocating. When money changing hands mandated is mandated under penalty of prison, then it no longer can be called "sharing".
I have a legitimate question for you: Of those people who are idealogically opposed to this type of "free healthcare" versus those who endorse it, who do you think actually GIVES more of their own hard earned money and time to charitable causes? Anyone who can find the answer on this and posts it here get's a cookie.

Thanks for the thoughts... let's THINK this through!

Anonymous said...

"Anonymous" #1 here again.
Yes, I'm not an idiot. Obviously it's not really free. Obviously our paycheck makes a contribution to this healthcare, but what I want to know is why is that SUCH a bad thing? It's not going towards prostitution, drugs, booze etc. It's going towards helping PEOPLE, LITTLE CHILDREN who simply can not afford the same health care that other fortunate people can! Just because a percentage of our money is going to them, doesn't mean we have to get all worked up and angry about it. Isn't it a little selfish to do so?