>http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/2010-10-07-healthlaw07_ST_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
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>Starting to look like large employers (with funds to do the legal work) are getting exemptions. What about the smaller employers and mom and pop shops? Any word? It appears that the employees don't get the benefits of the rule so if McDs opted out of coverage (had they not gotten the waiver), how would the healthcare bill apply then? Does the part employee have to go out and shop for insurance due to the requirement?

About 100 companies have been given one year exemptions to comply with the new law. I think that's a dangerous precedent. What's to stop the number from rising to 1000 or 10,000?

McDonald's is getting the most attention for threatening to cancel health care for hourly paid workers. Their coverage is crap to begin with. For $700 an employee gets $2000 a year in health coverage. As you know, there are many common procedures that cost more than $2000 in one shot.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/06/business/economy/06leonhardt.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=health%20care%20exemptions&st=cse

Insurers are also fighting back with everything they've got. Some are threatening to drop certain product lines and are already jacking rates up. We pay double what any other developed country does for health care and they want to maintain the status quo. Which from their own selfish POV makes perfect sense.