"A discredited study? I'm running with it!"(Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)
The largely discredited McKinsey and Company study released last week has predictably become a Republican talking point. The survey found that as much of a third of American businesses would stop offering health benefits to their employees when the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented. The survey has come under fire even from McKinsey employees who have said the "the survey was not conducted using McKinsey's typical, meticulous methodology."
Which, of course, isn't going to bother House Speaker John Boeher, who is using the study to bash the ACA.
Yesterday, the Republican leader issued a “Speaker Alert,” which touted the dubious McKinsey results.
A survey by McKinsey & Company says businesses planning for the onslaught of ObamaCare taxes, mandates, regulations, and penalties have two choices: stop offering health care for their employees, or eliminate full-time jobs and keep wages low.
It then referred readers to this separate piece from the House Speaker’s office.
The President’s promise that “if you like your health care plan, you can keep it” has once again been proven false because ObamaCare is forcing job creators to stop offering health coverage. As businesses begin planning for the onslaught of ObamaCare taxes, mandates, regulations, and penalties coming down the pike, many are left with two untenable choices: stop offering health care for their employees, or eliminate full-time jobs and keep wages low. According to a survey released yesterday by McKinsey & Company: 30 percent of employers — and 28 percent of large employers — “will definitely or probably stop offering” coverage after 2014.
As a substantive matter, this analysis from Boehner’s office just doesn’t make sense. But under the circumstances — the Speaker doesn’t generally care for policy details — that’s par for the course.
Boehner's not going to be bothered with niceties like methodology, or take the advice of experts like Paul Krugman who says "nobody should be citing it until or unless McKinsey comes clean." Until McKinsey comes clean, neither the study nor Boehner can be trusted on this issue. While McKinsey told Swampland's Kate Pickert that a third party did not pay for the survey, its origins are murky. The Republican embrace of it, even after it's been effectively discredited, makes it even murkier.