Hoffa said it best, as we stand today, our Taft Hartley plan is "unsustainable" under the ACA.
He's taking our "good money" and throwing it after bad.
It's just a matter of time before our GWI is also taken, coupled with increasing annual deductibles, to shoulder the ever increasing burden, instead of a company with the proven resources.
I hate it when people try to bring themselves up, by bringing someone else down and that's exactly what has happened here.
It's not fair to be tricked into martyrdom.
So even though the sky remains firmly above us, you’re still convinced it’s on the way down. As you know, the letter that claims unsustainability for Taft Hartley H&W plans was a joint letter from various Union leaders and few (if any) other union contracts provide the level of benefits contained in the UPS CBA.
Furthermore, three events must occur for the union leader’s prediction of peril to occur.
1)FT hours reduced to fewer than 30 to make members ineligible.
2)Taft Hartley’s not eligible for subsidies
3)Taft Hartley’s pay tax to fund ACA rebates
Point #1 is completely inapplicable to UPS employees as FT and PT are insured (regardless of reduced hours) and covered by CBA’s with contractually guaranteed contribution increases. FT hours cannot be reduced below 30 and indeed employment at UPS is increasing (finally) nationwide, further
increasing funding for TeamCare.
Point #2 is unfortunately accurate and still hasn’t been corrected, but Taft Hartleys are
non-profit so have an inherent advantage over
for profit HC companies. This advantage should somewhat offset this obvious gift of corporate welfare to private HC providers. I believe this point is the sole reason for the “letter” and with a more thoughtful Congress will be addressed.
Point #3 is bearable (for larger funds). Taft Hartley’s will pay a three year diminishing tax to fund the start up of the subsidy program. But many Taft Hartley’s, along with private insurers, have benefitted from pre-ACA programs by receiving government subsidies for HC coverage such as the Retiree Drug Subsidy program (UPS Plan received over 27 million one year) so the “tax” is pretty much a wash.
The Hoffa letter clearly states these events must all occur to make Taft Hartley’s “unsustainable”. Since the criteria of the letter won’t be met in the TeamCare realm for UPS’ers, one would logically conclude TeamCare will be “sustainable”.
One question for you Mr Bubble, why do you hang on this one statement (albeit erroneously) from Hoffa, when you’ve obviously made it clear to the world you think this guy needs help tying his shoes? Never mind…I already know the answer.
