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Indiana School Leaders and Job Creators Describe Harmful Effects of President’s Health Care Law

The Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions, chaired by Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN), held a field hearing in Greenfield, Indiana to examine the health care challenges facing the state's classrooms and workplaces. According to a local news report

Hoosier business owners and education officials aired out their concerns about the Affordable Care Act to Congress without having to go all the way to Washington D.C. … The chambers there are clearly smaller than the halls of Congress, but that’s exactly the way committee members wanted it. Several panelists were concerned about how ACA has been affecting their budgets.

As witnesses made clear, the president’s health care law is undermining the success of the nation’s schools and workplaces –   

Schools                                                                         

  • The most significant impact is on our special needs students. These students need and want consistency … It is best for our special needs students to have the same bus driver for their routes. Unfortunately, we now must split the route between two drivers. By using different drivers for the same route, our special needs students are subject to constant change which is uncomfortable for our special needs students and not in their best interests. – Mr. Danny Tanoos, Superintendent, Vigo County School Corporation, Terre Haute, IN
                                                                                                
  • Like many community colleges our funding is very limited. It does not allow us to absorb large unfunded mandates such as any employee who reaches 30 hours being offered health insurance. We would have to pass along such increases on the backs of students by increasing tuition. As a result many of those who are at the lowest income levels trying to improve their lives would no longer be able to afford college. – Mr. Tom Snyder, President, Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, Indianapolis, IN                                                             
  • The Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act (PPACA) has had and continues to have a severe and disproportionately disruptive effect on our high performing school district. We have identified three categories in which these negative effects have occurred in our school district. There is the impact on our students, the impact on our employees, and the impact on the school district itself. These intertwined and interactive effects, taken together, are serious now and appear to be increasing in their severity over time. – Mr. Michael Shafer, Chief Financial Officer, Zionsville Community Schools, Zionsville, IN

Workplaces                                                                               

  • In summary, since the ACA took effect, our company and employees have seen premiums increase dramatically while deductibles and out-of-pocket costs have been raised, all during a period when the overall health of our employees has improved … From the experience of IDS, I can say that the Affordable Care Act is anything but affordable for our company and employees. – Mr. Mark DeFabis, President, Integrated Distribution Services, Plainfield, IN
                   
  • We offer health insurance to our full time employees although not affordable by government standards … This cost to our business is roughly in the area of $2.42 to $3.23 per hour per employee depending on hours worked. To meet the proposed guidance of not to exceed 9.5% of income that cost would move into the $2.87 to $5.15 range per hour per employee! Representing an 18 to 59% raise in cost per hour per employee. Where is the AFFORDABLE in this act? – Mr. Daniel Wolfe, President, Wolfe’s Auto Auctions, Terre Haute, IN                                                                        
  • The Affordable Care Act’s reporting mandates will absolutely ‘bury’ our Human Resources Department … The forms must be filed electronically for companies with over 250 employees, such as Draper. However, there is no guidance or process yet established to explain how to do this … Our HR Department’s worst fear is that the final versions will be made available on December 15, with a December 31 deadline for submission! – Mr. Nate LaMar, International Regional Manager, Draper, Inc., Spiceland, IN

Congressman Luke Messer (R-IN) noted during the hearing, “Our nation’s school children and hourly workers shouldn’t be forced to pay the price of that law.” Chairman Roe echoed the sentiment: “Our children and working families deserve better."

To read witness testimony, opening statements, or watch an archived webcast of the hearing, visitwww.republicans-edlabor.house.gov/hearings.                      

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