How is this for bed fellows: SEIU, the Center for American Progress and… Wal-Mart? Yup, the world’s largest employer has joined with SEIU and CAP in support of employer mandate.
We are for an employer mandate which is fair and broad in its coverage, but any alternative to an employer mandate should not create barriers to hiring entry level employees….Support for a mandate also requires the strongest possible commitment to rein in health care costs. Guaranteeing cost containment is essential. One way to ensure savings was recently advanced by former Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle and Bob Dole, “Implement pre-specified targets for spending growth and enact a “trigger” mechanism that automatically enforces reductions,” (Crossing Our Lines, Bipartisan Policy Center) President Obama suggested strengthening the role of Med Pac to help enforce spending discpilne.
Check out the full letter here…. and more thoughtful analysis with a hat tip to The Wonk Room.
