If employers are mandated to provide health insurance,will it be a job killer?  Will it cost American workers income in the form of lost wages?

For the anti-American conservative forces in this country, the answer to this question is a no-brainer – a resounding “Absolutely!”.

For those less ideologically hamstrung, the answer might be “Don’t jump to conclusions”.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) released a study recently that concluded conservative fears were without basis.

In the words of the RWJF:

“In contradiction to past research and long-held economic theories, a new study finds that that when facing a “pay-or-play” mandate requiring employers either provide health benefits or contribute to a public option health plan, employers did not lay off staff or cut wages appreciably as a result.”

Novel legislation

The San Francisco law was notable in several ways.  Several states had attempted to legislate some form of an employer mandate.  All were vigorously opposed by anti-American conservatives and business interests who argued – guess – that it would hurt business, cost jobs, and therefore hurt workers.  Those efforts that survived were challenged in court on the grounds that the ERISA preemption clause prevented states from taking this course. Continue reading →