I usually stay away from the polotics, but this statement is the exact opposite of what the plan accomplishes. I just finished a rather in depth CPE study of the health care plan provisions as I must be prepared to discuss them with my clients. The plan will actually force small businesses to drop the employer plans and pay the penalty. The funny thing too is the penalty per employee of not offering any plan is smaller than the penalty of offering a plan and having an employee use the exchanges. (2k vs 3k)
Another note, the 'cadillac' plan 40% penalty on the insurance companies that starts in 2018 will actually be imposed on approximately 60% of current plans if the government does not change the threshholds.
As to the OP theory, if you don't think this same mentality and 'plan' has been considered and used by the left you are either naive or stupid. Niether policital party has your best interest in mind, just their own pursuit of power and money.
Ragin' Cajun wrote:
I do think the plan does not go far enough and it was a big sell out to insurance companies. From CNNmoney:
* By no later than 2014, states will have to set up Small Business Health Options Programs, or "SHOP Exchanges," where small businesses will be able to pool together to buy insurance. ("Small businesses" are defined as those with no more than 100 employees, though states have the option of limiting pools to companies with 50 or fewer employees through 2016; companies that grow beyond the size limit will also be grandfathered in.)
The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the exchanges would ease small business insurance costs, albeit only marginally: premiums in the small-group market are forecast to fall between 1% and 4% under the exchanges, while the amount of coverage would rise by up to 3%.
* For the next four years, until the SHOP Exchanges are set up, businesses with 10 or fewer full-time-equivalent employees earning less than $25,000 a year on average will be eligible for a tax credit of 35% of health insurance costs. (Companies with between 11 and 25 workers and an average wage of up to $50,000 are eligible for partial credits.)
The tax credit will remain in place, increasing to 50% of costs, for the first two years a company buys insurance through its state exchange. The Congressional Budget Office predicts that the tax credit will affect about 12% of individuals covered via the small-group insurance market, lowering their cost of insurance by between 8% and 11%.
* Insurers will no longer be able to set rates or exclude coverage based on pre-existing conditions, and can vary premiums only by geographic location, age, and tobacco use.
These restrictions, however, would not kick in until 2014. Going into effect immediately: a ban on lifetime limits on coverage, and on "rescission" (canceling policies already issued) except in cases of fraud.
* Starting in 2014, businesses with more than 50 employees will be required to either offer healthcare coverage or pay a penalty of $750 a year per full-time worker. The coverage offered will also have to meet minimum benefits -- covering both a specific set of services and 60% of employee health costs overall -- or else employers will face additional penalties.
* So-called "Cadillac" plans costing more than $10,200 a year for individuals or $27,500 for family coverage (not counting dental and vision plans) will be subject to a 40% tax on the portion of the cost that exceeds the limit. Though the tax would actually be paid by insurers, it's expected that it would be passed along to plan holders in the form of higher premiums.
Furthermore, if the House amendments approved Sunday pass the Senate intact under the reconciliation process, some other small business provisions will change:
* Part-time employees would be counted toward the 50-employee minimum on pro-rated basis based on hours worked, bringing more small businesses into the group required to provide coverage.
* The $750-per-employee penalty for not providing insurance would rise to $2,000.
http://money.cnn.com/2010/03/22/smallbusiness/small_business_health_reform/ 
