Watching the sausage being made

Sextus Empericus is watching the Healthcare Sausage Factory, so that you don't have to. He's found some interesting stuff, as you can imagine:

Under the Senate Finance Committee's health care reform bill (S. 1769), it may be possible for an employer of low-wage workers to set things up so that both it and its workers avoid any penalty for the lack of insurance. Under the bill, an employer pays a penalty for each employee that receives a subsidy for buying health insurance in the individual market. An employee is ineligible for this subsidy if the employer offers "affordable" health insurance. Households are penalized if they are not covered by health insurance, but these penalties are waived for those who lack access to "affordable" health insurance. Here, "affordable" has two different definitions, which creates a loophole.

You mean the Solons in Washington haven't given us a bill worthy of Philosopher Kings? Color me shocked.