Gov Jeb Bush against bill to make big companies provide health coverage

[seafan]

Bush against bill to make big companies provide health coverage

By DAVID ROYSE
Associated Press Writer
February 14, 2006

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Gov. Jeb Bush said Tuesday he opposes a measure that would require the state's largest companies to provide a certain amount of health coverage for their workers.
The measure, pushed by Democratic lawmakers and backed by labor unions, is modeled on a new law in Maryland and one of several such proposals around the country.

The business community strongly opposes the idea as well.

Sponsors of the legislation said Tuesday that it's needed because the main way people in this country are expected to get health care is through their workplace. Yet some employees of many of the largest companies in the state have to turn to Medicaid, the taxpayer-funded program that pays for health care for poor Floridians.

Backers of the measure say some of those companies get tax breaks to locate in a community - and then get another break when government has to pick up the tab for their workers' benefits.
"We should not be subsidizing businesses with your tax dollars, and they turn around and give us more Medicaid patients," said Rep. Susan Bucher, D-West Palm Beach, the sponsor of the bill (HB 813) in the House.

Bucher said a check of state records on Medicaid recipients who list their employer on certain documents showed that at least 4,000 of them said they worked at one of the state's biggest employers, Wal-Mart, which has about 93,000 workers in Florida.

snip

Bush didn't elaborate on his opposition to the measure, but defended giving tax breaks to companies to move to Florida if they offer jobs that pay more than most.

snip

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060214/APN/602141067

[Dr.Phool]

1. So, what else is new

Jebthro is against anything that will help out people, and bends over backward to give money to corporations. He gave millions in cash, and tax incentives to Capital One to move to Tampa. They took the money, came for a little while, and are now moving to India.

[porphyrian]

2. That's because JEB! is a piece of shit. - n/t

[seafan]

3. He just never, never quits. n/t

[Virginian]

4. So who does provide the medical insurance?

Does this mean he is for a National Health Care System? No? I didn't think so.

So, what happens when people get sick or injured?