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What a surprise - a local business owner doesn't want enhanced
competition. It has been many years now, but as I recall, Mr.
Connelly did not want a WalMart store here initially either.
<br><br>
Many of us wane (no wax) over the loss of Schweitzer Eng to
Pullman. <br><br>
The health care/insurance issue is a very complex issue. First, the
question of benefits offered by WalMart. Here is an excerpt from
their employment op page:<br><br>
<br>
<i>Our health care benefits offer associates peace of mind and the
ability to care for themselves and their families. <br>
Associates' Medical Plan
<ul>
<li>Protection from the unexpected-that's the goal of the Associates'
Medical Plan. If a major or unexpected medical event occurs, the coverage
is there to help associates. The Associates' Medical Plan is designed to
protect associates from catastrophic loss and financial ruin.
</ul>Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)
<ul>
<li>In addition to the Associates' Medical Plan, HMO plans are offered in
some facilities.
</ul>STARBRIDGE
<ul>
<li>STARBRIDGE, a limited medical plan, is available to associates and
their families during an eligibility waiting period and to temporary
associates.
</ul>Aflac Cancer Insurance
<ul>
<li>This supplemental insurance plan helps reduce financial worries if
cancer strikes Associates or their family.
</ul>Dental
<ul>
<li>A bright smile is one of associates' greatest assets. The Dental Plan
provides associates with a way to keep it looking great. Under this Plan,
associates have access to a network of general dentists and specialists
who have agreed to provide dental care at discounted fees.
</ul>Life Insurance
<ul>
<li>We want our associates to be prepared. Life insurance offers
financial protection for associates and their families in case of
death. Full-time eligible associates receive Company-Paid
Life Insurance. Associates also may apply for additional coverage for
themselves, their spouse, or their dependent children.
</ul>Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance (AD&D)
<ul>
<li>AD&D insurance plans offer financial protection for associates
and their families in case the associate or a dependent suffers a serious
injury or death.
</ul>Business Travel Accident Insurance
<ul>
<li>We offer associates even more protection when they travel on company
business by providing Business Travel Accident Insurance.
</ul>Disability Plans
<ul>
<li>It is important for associates to think about protecting their
families. Both Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance can help
protect an associate's family should the associate become suddenly ill or
injured. </i>
</ul>This plan compares favorably with many US plans, but most
importantly, it compares rather well with the plan offered by our largest
employer, UI. Frankly, I am puzzled by the lack of righteous
indignation over the cuts and changes to the UI Health Coverage -
especially the changes that impacted part-time and retired
employees.<br><br>
But the essence of understanding the health insurance issue is to decide
who should pay the cost of health benefits. Classically, the issue has
been sorted out by one's perspective of our social system. Those
with a foot or two into the "everyone is entitled to basic health
care" camp would usually advocate that the government provide for
basic health care. Thus the US taxpayer foots the bill.<br><br>
Others argue that (in some form or other) employers should foot the bill
because ... well, it is not clear to me how they argue this.<br><br>
What my background and experience have taught me is that employers will
offer various benefit packages in order to attract the folks they want to
attract to their firm. As far as I can tell, no business as yet (in our
country) owes anyone a job - jobs are opportunities offered to folks -
the folks can decide if they want the job or not. In past
decades, employers offered rather rigid plans, without much in the way of
choice to employees, ie, the one size fits all model. Recent
advances in benefit plans have offered employees choices (major med,
dental, eye, HMO, etc) through various types of "cafeteria"
plans. People can tailor their benefit package to fit their
particular need. <br><br>
Of particular interest to some of you (many professional-type positions)
is that many firms are experimenting with providing higher pay and
offering no additional benefits. This provides those employees with
enough resources to make their own choices about how to provide health
insurance, etc.<br><br>
But here is the bottom line - who should pay (is responsible for) the
cost of health (and other) benefits.<br><br>
Should taxpayers be responsible for the cost, should employers (and hence
consumers) be responsible, should the individual be responsible?
This is the discussion that needs to take place. Arguing about
whether WalMart or any other individual employer offers too little, too
much or whatever is a ruse - not a useful discussion. <br><br>
The cites regarding health insurance coverage provided by Ms. Opyr
demonstrates my point quite clearly. Here are the exact cites for
Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire and Vermont (I added the bold, colored
italicized text):<br><br>
<font size=4><b>Montana</b> <br><br>
In June 2005 the Great Falls Tribune examined records for the state's
CHIP program and found that the private employer with the largest number
of workers with dependents receiving the health insurance was Wal-Mart.
</font><font size=4 color="#FF0000"><b><i>Its 193 employees using CHIP
represented about 4 percent of the company's workforce in the state.
Other companies high on the list were McDonald's, Pizza Hut, NAPA Auto
Parts and Subway.</i></b></font><font size=4> <br><br>
Source: Mike Dennison, "State Insurance for Kids Going to Employees
You Might Not Expect," Great Falls Tribune, June 26, 2005, p.16A.
<br><br>
<b>Nebraska</b> <br><br>
In October 2005 the Nebraska Health and Human Services System reported
that an estimated 9,369 workers and an unknown number of their dependents
were receiving benefits through the state's Medicaid program.
</font><font size=4 color="#FF0000"><b><i>Leading the list was Wal-Mart
with 654 workers and Tyson with 548. <br><br>
</i></b></font><font size=4>Source: Paul Hammel, "Thousands with
Jobs are on Medicaid Rolls," Omaha World-Herald, October 19, 2005.
<br><br>
<b>New Hampshire</b> <br><br>
In May 2005 the Associated Press reported that it had obtained a report
from the state Department of Health and Human Services on those employers
in New Hampshire with the most workers (or their dependents) enrolled in
Medicaid or the Healthy Kids Silver program.
</font><font size=4 color="#FF0000"><b><i>The employer at the top of the
list in both categories was Wal-Mart, which had 487 of its 8,500 workers
in the state getting subsidized coverage. Also high on the list were the
state government, Dunkin' Donuts, the supermarket chain Shaw's, Concord
Hospital, nursing-home operator Genesis and the U.S. Postal
Service.</i></b></font><font size=4> <br><br>
Source: Norma Love, "State, Retail Workers High on List of Needing
Health-care Subsidy," Associated Press, May 12, 2005.
<br><br>
<b>Vermont</b> <br><br>
In April 2005 the Vermont Guardian reported that it had obtained data
from the state's Department for Children and Families on families
enrolled in Medicaid that had someone employed by a large company or a
government agency. </font><font size=4 color="#FF0000"><b><i>The state
government itself was said to account for largest number of such
employees with 481. Among the private-sector companies with the most
workers using Medicaid were Price Chopper (443), McDonald's (290),
Hannaford (288) and Wal-Mart (286). Among industry groups, grocery stores
accounted for the largest number at 1,036. <br><br>
</i></b></font><font size=4>Source: Kathryn Casa, "Employees at
Vermont's Top Companies Enrolled in Medicaid Health Plans," Vermont
Guardian, April 18, 2005. Some of the numbers cited above came from a
copy of the data prepared for Casa that was provided to Good Jobs First
by the Department for Children and Families. <br><br>
</font>You will find a similar pattern throughout the other cites
provided in the post by Ms. Opyr. While WalMart appears at the head
of the list in many of the cites, that is probably due to the size of the
workforce employed by WalMart relative to other employers in the
state. Of particular note is that the percentage of Walmart's
employees using state medicaid is a small percentage of Walmart employees
as a whole (look at cites above - Montana - 4% and New Hampshire 5.7%.
<br><br>
What is very clear is that the overwhelming majority of Walmart employees
are covered by a health plan of some kind.<br><br>
Again, the issues here really are two-fold:
<ul>
<li>What system should be in place to provide health coverage for
Americans?
<li>Who should pay for it?
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