NFIB CALLS ON VERMONT LEGISLATURE TO REPEAL ACT 48

Date: December 17, 2014

NFIB CALLS ON VERMONT LEGISLATURE TO REPEAL ACT 48

MONTPELIER (December 18,
2014) Vermont’s largest small business advocacy group, the National Federation
of Independent Business (NFIB) was pleasantly surprised by Governor Shumlin’s
admission yesterday that Vermont simply cannot afford a single payer health
care system. Today, they are calling on the legislature to repeal the law that
created this mess in the first place.

“Governor Shumlin
spent years hopeful that the over $2.0 billion price tag would miraculously be
taken care of but small business stood steady in the storm, insisting it would
be impossible to fund a single payer healthcare system.” Said NFIB/VT
State Director Shawn Shouldice. “Anytime questions were asked regarding
coverage or cost, the Shumlin administration avoided a clear answer.”

Act 48 was enacted in
2011 by the Vermont legislature. It included a multi-pronged approach to implementing
a single payer healthcare system that began with the formation of the Green
Mountain Care Board. The board was responsible with providing recommendations
to the legislature on how to fund what was destined to be a costly venture.

“The board was asked
at one point if there was a “plan B” in the event that they could not
achieve their goals and assurances were made that they were destined for
success,” Continued Shouldice. “All these years later, after wasting
time and money, we discover that Vermont’s impending single payer healthcare
was nothing more than a scheme.”

According to Shouldice,
Governor Shumlin publicly admitted yesterday what small business has been
saying all along, that implementation would be fiscally impossible without
placing an overwhelming burden on the backs of small businesses. This announcement would eliminate the need for healthcare funding mechanisms such as a whopping 11% payroll tax on employers or a 9% income tax on Vermonters.

“Small business is
calling for the ill-fated Act 48 to be repealed immediately. The Green Mountain
Care Board was unsuccessful in their attempt to provide the legislature with a
funding stream for single payer healthcare that was palatable to the people of
Vermont and the only sensible thing left to do is for the bill to be
repealed.”

 

Related Content: Small Business News | Healthcare | Vermont

Subscribe For Free News And Tips

Enter your email to get FREE small business insights. Learn more

Get to know NFIB

NFIB is a member-driven organization advocating on behalf of small and independent businesses nationwide.

Learn More

Or call us today
1-800-634-2669

© 2001 - 2024 National Federation of Independent Business. All Rights Reserved. Terms and Conditions | Privacy