Barack Obama' Coal In Your Stocking

Yes, Obamacare is destroying jobs.

My firm, which has fewer than 20 employees, recently received our renewal package for next year's health insurance plan. It read: "Your current coverage is no longer being offered, but we've provided you with a great alternative" -- an estimated 48% increase in premiums. That translates into approximately $1,676 in added costs per year for every individual covered on our plan ($6,704 for a family of four). That's approximately $44,000 in added annual costs that could otherwise be used to hire a college graduate.

The only good news is that most small businesses, including mine, were able to avoid these cost increases for a year by renewing their 2014 policies prior to Dec. 1. But come 2015, we'll face those increases regardless.

The response to our plight is that we are getting much better coverage. But that isn't true, either. We have historically provided our employees with a generous plan with 100% coverage for in-network preventative care and low out of pocket maximums. Conversely, our new "great alternative" plan offers comparable benefits with much higher out of pocket maximums.

The only obvious benefit of the new plan is a $5 reduction in office co-pays. Never mind that it would take 335 visits to the doctor each year for this to equal the premium increase.

But, of course, the good news is that Sandra Fluke doesn't have to pay for her own birth control pills.