It’s over. As Printing Industries of America (PIA) duly notified its members today, on Sunday, March 21st, the U.S. House of Representatives passed both S. 3590, the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" (health care reform legislation passed by the U.S. Senate on December 24th, 2009), and H.R. 4870, the Reconciliation Act of 2010 (the House's "fix" of several provisions in the Senate-passed bill). Passage was a disappointment for PIA, which had urged Congress to oppose the Obama administration’s plan for health care reform. PIA says it doesn’t like the reform bill’s employer mandate (because it carries penalties); its small business tax credit (won’t offset rising costs); the increased Medicare payroll tax (sets a bad precedent); and the bill’s restrictions on insurance alternatives such health savings accounts (hurts companies that cover their workers in this way). PIA says that despite increasing costs, almost 97% of firms in the printing and graphic communications industry continue to provide health care to employees and their families. As an owner, a manager, or an employee of a printing firm, do you share PIA’s disappointment that health care reform—signed into law by President Obama today—is finally a reality? Or do you see it as a positive development for the industry? We’d like to know your thoughts.
Discussion
By John Henry on Mar 23, 2010
I do not like government in my business in any additional way. This will only cost every taxpayer more. NOTE The TAXPAYER part. We as business owners will pay more, anyone who actually pays taxes will pay more. This makes us less competitive world wide. The only good thing is the businesses that do not pay for any health care and compete with us who do, will see a larger increase. The great lie is everyone has access to health care. Just some of us pay for it and others do not. No one today, covered or uncovered is refused care. Wait to you see how many special groups got breaks like the unions.
By Paul Edwards on Mar 23, 2010
There is nothing positive in this bill for the printing industry, especially the owners who are mostly small to medium businesses. The Democratically controlled House has voted. The Senate can stand tall or also fall. The impact of this bill on the deficit will be hard for people to imagine, both for us today and for our children and grand children. Now it is time for the states and the voting public to have their turn. It is very possible that 2010 will be the most massive turnover in the House and Senate in the history of the USA. In the short term, the printing industry will remain flat to contracting slowly, face higher interest rates and taxes and see a further 5-10% reduction on it's employee base from a stagnant economy. Printing equipment manufacturers will continue to struggle to survive. The printing industry will also rise to the challenge of helping key accounts navigate these uneasy times with creativity and a shift to multi-media. Paul Edwards CEO FormStore twitter @predwards
By Terry Tevis on Mar 24, 2010
Like any business, the value of its operation is not just its employees or customers, it is all of its neighbors as well. This coverage will help many of people in need and has been on the table for over 30 years. We knew it was coming and now we must adjust our thinking and begin taking other costs out of printing to support the health of many. Nothing is perfect and yet I sleep better know that preexisting conditions can no longer prevent our neighbors from coverage.
By Stephen Grieger on Mar 24, 2010
Defitely disappointed for all the reasons pointed out by PIA. We have always provided health care to our employees. We hope that this will not lead to us cutting other programs within our organization to support the new mandates and rising costs.
By David on Mar 24, 2010
I see this as a positive development. Even though many companies have continued to provide health coverage for their employees, they have only been able to do so despite ever-increasing cost by cutting jobs, cutting coverage, cutting other benefits, or passing part or all of the cost to the employees. Health care reform is needed to start to bring costs of health coverage down for everyone, including we employers who provide care for our employees.
By Clint Bolte on Mar 24, 2010
Once the slogging-of-the-dead-horse is finished you can't help but anticipate a plethora of educational materials to be printed on helping citizens to understand and get registered for various new programs. Medical insurance companies have emerged from the foray with much deserved black eyes but will need to create and distribute new promotional materials as they go after the 32 million citizens now being covered by insurance. The next few years will surely have numerous bills passed that attempt to correct the embezzlement leaks discovered in this bill. And again more educational and promotional pieces printed and mailed.
By Kent Buescher on Mar 29, 2010
What a shame that Congress would not slow down and listen to the majority of Americans who opposed this bill. Unfortunately as the problems in the bill continue to emerge, I am very afraid that we will find out that this bill will not help the printing industry. On the contrary I'm afraid it will lead to continuing economic weakness and continued decline in print and print employment. The November elections will not come quick enough. Hopefully no other crippling economic legislation slips by before then...
By Patrick Henry on Mar 29, 2010
Clint, thanks very much for your most perceptive comment. When I think of everything I've seen on pallets in the pressrooms and the binderies of the printing plants I've visited, I'm struck to recall just how much of it was for insurers, pharma companies, and health care service providers. No matter what our personal positions on health care reform, I think that we all want one outcome of regulatory overhaul to be more work—and hopefully a lot more work—for America's printers. As you point out, the insurance industry has or will soon have 32 million new policyholders to communicate with. The rules have been rewritten for the rest of us as well. That sounds like a lot of clicks and impressions to me—and a lot of opportunities for printers equipped to serve these high-volume, heavily personalized print markets.
By Michael Jahn on Mar 29, 2010
@ Clint; I tend to look at the upside as well. New information spawns new print jobs. But lets face it, it is hospitals that win here. There was a very interesting article some of you might want to take a peek at in the March 28th issue of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution By Craig Schneider; http://www.ajc.com/news/health-care/health-care-a-big-409704.html
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