How Will Obamacare Affect City-Parish Employees

With enrollment for state health insurance exchanges set to begin October 1, 2013, Americans across the country are wondering about the impact the Affordable Healthcare Act will have on their own insurance policies. Lafayette City-Parish President Joey Durel joined “Mornings with Ken and Bernie” for his weekly “Lafayette Live” segment to discuss how Obamacare will affect city-parish employees.

"The most significant change I'm aware of is that Lafayette City-Parish employees will now pay taxes on their healthcare" explained Durel. "The money that the government did pickup as a "fringe benefit" will now be considered income and will be taxable."

Durel did not hide his thoughts on the country's new healthcare policy, openly questioning whether or not anyone will actually benefit from the soon to be in effect Affordable Care Act.

The question I have after all of this ridiculousness, are you better off? Do you have more money in your pocket then you had before? This policy feels good, it sounds good, but the consequences in the end are not what the feel good was. -Joey Durel

The phone lines were opened up to listeners who had questions about city-parish employee insurance. One caller asked if city-parish employees could opt out of the insurance program if they had a spouse with a more affordable plan.

No. Everybody that works full-time with the government is participating. City employees will not be able to opt out. That's how we keep the premiums down. We've had employees that were husband and wife and both had to participate in the insurance program.

To listen to the full audio from the interview, click the play button below: