- Sat Jan 10, 2015 5:52 pm
#52183
WASHINGTON — The House voted Thursday to increase the number of hours someone must work before an employer has to offer health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.
But the 252-172 vote for the bill authored by Rep. Todd Young, R-Ind., fell short of the two-thirds support necessary to override a threatened presidential veto. Twelve Democrats joined all Republicans in voting for the bill.
The Affordable Care Act requires large employers to offer health insurance to those who work at least 30 hours a week. The bill would change that threshold to 40 hours a week.
"Let's restore the 40-hour workweek … that has long been understood to be the gold standard of the workweek in this country," Young said.
He argued that employers are reducing the hours of workers to get them under the 30-hour threshold, which amounts to "trying to finance health insurance for some Americans by cutting hours and wages for other Americans."
Opponents said the bill would increase the number of uninsured, increase the deficit and give employers a greater incentive than they have now to cut workers hours to avoid having to pay for their health insurance. That's because there are about twice as many uninsured Americans who work around 40 hours a week than who work close to 30 hours a week.
But the 252-172 vote for the bill authored by Rep. Todd Young, R-Ind., fell short of the two-thirds support necessary to override a threatened presidential veto. Twelve Democrats joined all Republicans in voting for the bill.
The Affordable Care Act requires large employers to offer health insurance to those who work at least 30 hours a week. The bill would change that threshold to 40 hours a week.
"Let's restore the 40-hour workweek … that has long been understood to be the gold standard of the workweek in this country," Young said.
He argued that employers are reducing the hours of workers to get them under the 30-hour threshold, which amounts to "trying to finance health insurance for some Americans by cutting hours and wages for other Americans."
Opponents said the bill would increase the number of uninsured, increase the deficit and give employers a greater incentive than they have now to cut workers hours to avoid having to pay for their health insurance. That's because there are about twice as many uninsured Americans who work around 40 hours a week than who work close to 30 hours a week.
