RED ALERT: Verizon Warns Employees About Coming Obamacare Taxes

Employees are Warned to Expect ‘Changes for the Worse’

“Even before President Obama signed the bill on Tuesday, Caterpillar said it would cost the company at least $100 million more in the first year alone. Medical device maker Medtronic warned that new taxes on its products could force it to lay off a thousand workers. Now Verizon joins the roll of businesses staring at adverse consequences.

“In an email titled ‘President Obama Signs Health Care Legislation’ sent to all employees Tuesday night, the telecom giant warned that ‘we expect that Verizon’s costs will increase in the short term.’ While executive vice president for human resources Marc Reed wrote that ‘it is difficult at this point to gauge the precise impact of this legislation,’ and that ObamaCare does reflect some of the company’s policy priorities, the message to workers was clear: Expect changes for the worse to your health benefits as the direct result of this bill, and maybe as soon as this year.

“Mr. Reed specifically cited a change in the tax treatment of retiree health benefits. When Congress created the Medicare prescription drug benefit in 2003, it included a modest tax subsidy to encourage employers to keep drug plans for retirees, rather than dumping them on the government. The Employee Benefit Research Institute says this exclusion—equal to 28% of the cost of a drug plan—will run taxpayers $665 per person next year, while the same Medicare coverage would cost $1,209.

“In a $5.4 billion revenue grab, Democrats decided that this $665 fillip should be subject to the ordinary corporate income tax of 35%. Most consulting firms and independent analysts say the higher costs will induce some companies to drop drug coverage, which could affect about five million retirees and 3,500 businesses. Verizon and other large corporations warned about this outcome.”

“In its employee note, Verizon also warned about the 40% tax on high-end health plans, though that won’t take effect until 2018. ‘Many of the plans that Verizon offers to employees and retirees are projected to have costs above the threshold in the legislation and will be subject to the 40 percent excise tax.’ These costs will start to show up soon, and, as we repeatedly argued, the tax is unlikely to drive down costs. The tax burden will simply be spread to all workers—the result of the White House’s too-clever decision to tax insurers, rather than individuals.”

(Editorial, “ObamaCare Day One,” The Wall Street Journal, 3/25/10)

By Code Red