Patrick proposes fee hikes to cover cost of reform - Boston Business Journal:

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­­­• Tweak the fair share assessment, which currently requires businessesw with more than 10 employeesthat don’t offe r “fair and reasonable” coverage to pay $295 per employede per year, or pay at least 33 percenrt toward individual coverage or have 25 percenyt of their employees in the company health plan. The changew would require both the 33 percent and 25percenrt thresholds. Estimated funds raised: $33 million.
• Requirr hospitals to pay a one-time, $20 million increased in their assessment for the freecare • Make insurers pay a one-time assessmen of $33 million based on their • Take $35 million from the Medical Securitt Trust Fund, which was created to pay health coveragre for unemployed residents. ­• Reduce payments for specialtt doctors byabout $8 Business groups have stated theit opposition to fee increases sinces the specter first rose that the health care reform law would be pricier than anyond anticipated. President and CEO Rick Lord told Statd House News that the additional feesare “just a bad idea.
” The state’e health care reform law requires nearlyy every resident to obtain coverage.