According to a report on Tuesday from the Pittsburgh Tribune, companies are now compensating for Obamacare costs by throwing coverage options away for spouses who work. Those employees who wish their working spouses to join their health insurance plan will be charged extra cash. Employees are also being forced to pay full price for children’s health insurance.
Because Obamacare does not dictate that family health plans cover working spouses, more and more businesses are using that loophole to dump spousal coverage. And as for children, according to James McTiernan, health care consultant with Triad Gallagher, companies can pass on the cost of dependent coverage directly to the employee. Major companies including PNC Bank have imposed surcharges on employee spouses. Overall, 18 percent of large employers now use such surcharges or no-coverage for spouses, a jump from 15 percent in 2011.