[lbo-talk] Massachusetts Employees on Public Health Care

[Jim Westrich]

Governor Romney (who has national ambitions so this is somewhat relevant for US
policy) has put forth a "plan" to insure more state residents.  Part of his
plan is a toothless "shaming" of employers who have employees on Medicaid or in
the state-funded hospital "free care" program (its toothless in the sense that
health insurance is generally much more expensive than shame).

Anyway, this data does give an interesting picture.  I estimate* that 3,805
employees of Dunkin Donuts (see Carl, they are about more than ugly signs) get
state-funded health care.  BTW, Dunkin Donusts has gotten into trouble here for
hiring under age workers (sweatshop activists take note--14 and 15 year olds
mostly) . Walmart, if you must know, has 2,218 employees who get state health
care (I don't think there are even 20 WalMarts in Massachusetts though).

To me the most interesting part to learn was that well over 3,000 hospital and
chain nursing facilities workers were on the state plan instead of their
employers.  This includes about 1600(!) Boston Medical Center and 600(!)
Massachetts General Hospital workers (MGH's parent made $28.9 Million in
"excess operating revenue" in the last quarter mostly through "not-for-profit"
institutions).

Also, MGH's parent has recently hired Dem big-wig John Sasso (who was Dukakis's
campaign manager and prominent in recent DNC dealings) for $2 million to boost
the rates the hospitals get from Medicaid.  It is all about priorties.