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There has been a lot of talk about the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) and what it is going to do to the quality and cost of health care in this country. President Obama says it will make it more affordable but proponents say it will be more expensive and cause long waits to see doctors.

For one local company the cost affects are immediate and significant. Nuss Trucking Group, Inc. got the shocking news that their health insurance costs were increasing approximately 30 percent for next year. A little shopping around at different insurance companies reduced that to 27 percent with a change in policy holders. The increase amounts to approximately $400,000. This includes the healthcare insurance and other benefits associated with it. This is the largest health insurance increase the company has ever experienced.

“My issue is we are going to have to stomach the 27 percent increase or pass it to the employees,” said Brad Nuss, Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer for Nuss Truck Group, Inc. Nuss Truck Group’s corporate offices are located in Rochester. They have stores in Burnsville, Duluth, Mankato, Roseville, St. Cloud, Rochester and one in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. They sell medium to heavy trucks, equipment, parts and service.

Nuss Truck Group has approximately 260 employees with 180 on their health insurance plan. There are a number of reasons causing the increase. One reason for the significant increase and the one with the biggest impact is what is called pooling charges. Pooling charges are up almost 15 percent for Nuss Truck Group because of a requirement of ObamaCare. Nuss was in a different pool with lower costs but the pool was collapsed into one pool for groups up to 299.

Administrative costs are increasing, taxes and assessments, specialty drugs have seen double digit increases, Women’s Preventive Health, research fees and outpatient hospital utilization for elective procedures are some of the causes for the increase.

What are the options for businesses? They can cover all increases, pass some of the cost of the increase to employees, cut benefits or drop health insurance, pay a fine and let employees go to the government offered plan. Nuss trucking has chosen to stay with the same type of group insurance they have always offered their employees.

“We are a family business and we treat our employees like family,” Nuss said. He said another reason for them to do it is to stay competitive in their industry for quality employees. “A lot of employers will let it go and dump them (employees) on the public plan,” said Nuss. “The more on the public plan, the cost will go up.”

Some experts also predict longer waits to see doctors, a scenario experienced by patients in other countries with government run health plans.

“I am not trying to make it political, but your vote has consequences,” Nuss said. “It’s where the rubber meets the road.”