A proposed bill by California lawmakers would impose fines on employers of up to $6,000 per full-time employee who ends up on Medicaid. Advocates of the bill, which include unions, consumer groups and doctors, hope that it will close a loophole in the Affordable Healthcare Act that does not penalize employers for putting their hourly workers on the government?s tab. The thrust of the legislation is geared towards large retailers and restaurant chains, such as Wal-Mart. Opponents have labeled the bill as a job-killer. The outcome of the California bill will likely influence legislation in other states as they anticipate the expansion of Medicaid prompted by the new federal healthcare law.
See "California bill would fine big firms whose workers get Medi-Cal", Chad Terhune, Los Angeles Times, June 2, 2013