Walgreens is going to contribute the exact same amount to employees health care insurance as they do now. The difference is that the Walgreens employees will now be able to choose from larger pool of plans through the exchanges raster than having to buy what Walgreens offers them.
This is very similar to what the FEHB program in place for all current federal employees. A set amount is paid towards one's health insurance and a choice is made from a buffet of plans. Those companies compete for the federal employees by offering differing plans ands services at differing levels. Sounds kind of capitalistic doesn't it?
"The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program
The FEHB Program can help you and your family meet your health care needs. Federal employees, retirees and their survivors enjoy the widest selection of health plans in the country. You can choose from among Consumer-Driven and High Deductible plans that offer catastrophic risk protection with higher deductibles, health savings/reimbursable accounts and lower premiums, or Fee-for-Service (FFS) plans, and their Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO), or Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO) if you live (or sometimes if you work) within the area serviced by the plan.
Use this site to compare the costs, benefits, and features of different plans. We chose the different benefit categories based on enrollee requests, differences among plans, and simplicity. However, we urge you to consider the total benefit package, in addition to service and cost, and provider availability when choosing a health plan."
http://www.opm.gov/h...nce/healthcare/
"The drugstore chain said that beginning in 2014, it will give employees a set amount of money to choose health insurance coverage from a wide range of offerings in a fast-expanding private online marketplace run by Aon Hewitt, a benefits firm."
""What we're seeing is a continuation of a trend where employers are shifting from providing the tangible benefit to putting contributions into a pot, making the employee responsible for buying the actual benefit," said Linda Barrington, executive director of Cornell University's Institute for Compensation Studies. "Employees have more choice, but they also have to be educated consumers."
So Eric, now you are for less choice for a consumer?
http://washingtonpos...fec8_story.html
And ask all of those DOD employees about their 21 furlough days and if the sequestration doesn't matter.