Fair Share Health Care

The good folks over at the Drum Major Institute (DMI) have been focusing on the issue of health care, specifically on the need to address corporations who, by offering few or no benefits, shift this cost to taxpayers. Highlighting the recently passed law in Maryland and New York State’s attempt to replicate the legislation, Amy Taub, a DMI fellow blogs:

All [the bill] does is require big employers to pay a certain amount for their employees health care, equivalent to what the average large employer already pays in the state. This will bring health insurance to more people wherever it is implemented. But just as significantly, it draws the line at a business model in which large, profitable employers, who could afford to provide health insurance to their employees but instead choose to fatten their bottom line by foisting health care costs onto the public (via Medicaid and emergency room treatment) and onto employees themselves.

The DMI will be hosting a breakfast on Monday May 8th at 8:15 a.m. at the Harvard Club where the issue will be discussed further. Speakers will include Maryland Senator Lawlah, who authored the first “Fair Share” Health Care bill, State Senator Diane Savino, the sponsor of the New York version of Maryland’s legislation and John Catsimatidis, CEO of Gristedes Supermarket. A panel discussion will follow with commentary by Dan Cantor of the Working Families Party and Adrianne Shropshire, executive director of New York Jobs with Justice.