As I was researching the latest batch of waivers issued by the feds to one provision of the Obama health reform law, I was struck by how many of these waivers are going to the state of California.
Yes, California is by far the biggest state in the U.S., with over 12% of our population. So, it would be logical that a lot of waivers would go to the Golden State, just like a lot have gone to New York and Texas.
But this latest round sure did have a lot of individual focus on California, especially on San Francisco. More on that in a few paragraphs.
First, let's get everyone up to speed on what happened, as the Obama Administration released another 221 waivers of a provision in the health reform law which allow companies to limit health insurance plan payouts to less than $750,000 for the year.
Those annual benefit limits will be phased out under the Obama health law by 2014.
The extra waivers bring the total to 1,372 one-year waivers, giving over three million workers at regular businesses, health care companies, unions and others an exemption from the annual benefit rules.
Some of the names in this latest batch are familiar - Wendy's International is one - though the fast food restaurant is only getting a waiver for 22 employees.
Another familiar name, REI - the outdoor equipment company - which won a waiver for health coverage provided to 1,180 of its employees.
The latest waivers included another two dozen plus unions as well, like the CWA Local 1182 Security Benefits Fund in New York, the Southeastern Hotel Employees & Restaurant Employees Health & Welfare Fund and the Washington Wholesalers Health and Welfare Fund.
As for the California angle on this latest batch of waivers, at times when I was trying to identify all of the groups that won a waiver, I almost thought I was doing research on a trip to the San Francisco Bay Area.
It starts with the Blue & Gold Fleet, which takes people on cruises around San Francisco Bay. There was Cafe Mason, a restaurant in the Civic Center part of town.
Still moving alphabetically, there was Campton Place, a luxury hotel in San Francisco; Compwest Insurance, a workers' compensation insurance provider not far from The Embarcadero; Emporio Rulli, a restaurant on Chestnut Street; there's even a listing for "Fillmore Street Restaurant" as well.
But I'm not done.
There's the Franciscan Restaurant which gives you "Seafood Dining in the heart of Fishermans Wharf" and even a couple of places to stay like Hotel Fusion and Hotel Nikkio.
Still moving through the alphabetized listings, you can find the Infusion Lounge on Ellis Street; then a different kind of company, one that cleans up businesses, Integrated Cleaning Solutions, based in San Francisco and the Bay Area.
There was JBear Associates, which runs Hotel Mark Twain in San Francisco; Laiola, a restaurant in the Marina district; Lori's Diner on Powell Street and Market Bar, which is a bar in San Francisco as well.
If you need a place to stay, there's Meridian Management Group, a company that in the San Francisco Bay Area that deals with apartment and commercial property rentals.
If you need to find a place to buy things, there's Moor & South/Pier Management, which runs a 45 acre complex in San Francisco called PIER 39 with all kinds of specialty shops and restaurants.
Back to food, there's North Beach Pizza, and if you need to find things, there is the travel guide to the city called "Only in San Francisco."
Does this seem like a trend yet?
Next up is Paula Le Duc, a top catering outfit, then another couple of mentions of restaurants on PIER 39; then Cafe de la Presse, a gathering place to discuss international literature.
If you like music, there's Rasputin Records, which serves the Bay Area and includes a store on Powell Street.
If you need home health care, check out Reliable Caregivers, Inc., which is based in the San Francisco Bay Area as well.
And I'm not even done with companies getting the latest batch of waivers in the "R's."
How about Royal Motors Group? It has car dealerships all around the Bay Area, selling Volkswagen, Volvo, Audio and Mazda, among others; how about San Francisco Honda? Yep, they got a waiver, too.
Back to food, SF Mason Restaurants received a waiver, as did Simco Fine Dining at PIER39 in San Francisco and Spruce Restaurant on Sacramento Street.
If you like garlic, there is the Stinking Rose restaurant on Columbus Avenue; if you still need a hotel room, there's the Stratford Hotel.
Yes, there's still more.
How about VegiWorks, which is "a full-service, customer-oriented produce company specializing in a complete line of fresh fruit and vegetables" based in - San Francisco.
If I had the time, I would dig into all 1,372 of these waivers and see how many of them go to California, which delivered over 30 votes for the Obama Health law.
It would make for an interesting story, especially it seems in San Francisco, which is the hometown of former Speaker and now House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi.
