Comments on: NEW STUDY ON EMPLOYER PARTICIPATION IN HEALTH REFORM http://commonhealth.wbur.org/michael-widmer/2007/12/new-study-on-employer-participation-in-health-reform/ CommonHealth Sat, 20 Mar 2010 18:13:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Brian Rosman http://commonhealth.wbur.org/michael-widmer/2007/12/new-study-on-employer-participation-in-health-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-5437 Brian Rosman Tue, 11 Dec 2007 20:41:54 +0000 http://www.wbur.org/weblogs/commonhealth/?p=302#comment-5437 We respect Mike and the Taxpayers Foundation, which plays a constructive role in the health debates. However, we want to quibble a bit with the statement that the fair share contribution was never intended to help pay for reform in a significant way. The original expectation of the legislature (see this <a href="http://blog.hcfama.org/?p=168" rel="nofollow">April 06 blog entry</a> for the numbers) was for the fair share assessment to raise $45 million last year, and $36 million this year. So far, only $5 million has come in over the two years. The $81 million expected was far from paying for the whole thing, but not insignificant. The shortfall in employer funding (the legislature also expected $90 million over 2 years in Free Rider payments; the current expectation is zero) is one contributor to the overall funding challenges for reform. We respect Mike and the Taxpayers Foundation, which plays a constructive role in the health debates.

However, we want to quibble a bit with the statement that the fair share contribution was never intended to help pay for reform in a significant way.

The original expectation of the legislature (see this April 06 blog entry for the numbers) was for the fair share assessment to raise $45 million last year, and $36 million this year. So far, only $5 million has come in over the two years. The $81 million expected was far from paying for the whole thing, but not insignificant. The shortfall in employer funding (the legislature also expected $90 million over 2 years in Free Rider payments; the current expectation is zero) is one contributor to the overall funding challenges for reform.

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