As the final details of the health care bill are negotiated in secret meetings this week, people across the country are taking a step back to consider the evolution of such a bloated piece of legislation. It occurs to some that we don’t really know how Congress plans to lower our health care costs, one of the supposed reasons for this massive bill.

The New York Times reported this morning on special provisions placed in the Senate health care bill at the last minute. The bill requires businesses with more than 50 employees to provide health insurance for all of their employees or face significant fines. This applies to all industries except one: construction. Under this new provision, construction companies with only five or more employees will have to provide insurance or face a tax penalty of $750 per employee.