Some Twin Cities Restaurants Are Now Adding A Wellness Tax On To Your Bill

According to KARE11 more restaurants are adding a “health and wellness charge” to help offset the rising costs of health insurance. And many in the Twin Cities are becoming part of the trend.

Many of us know that the rising costs of health insurance are putting a huge burden on many people and their employers, and it does not seem to be getting better anytime soon. According to some restaurant owners this charge has always been in place but the customer did not see it.

Kim Bartmann of the The Bartmann Group, owns and operates nine restaurants in the Twin Cities and says the 3% charge that they issue covers about 70% of the company’s employee health plan.

“I have been subsidizing health insurance since 1993, covering 100% of their health insurance, but due to rising costs I’m now covering 70% thanks in part to this charge,” Bartmann explained. She says she got the idea after hearing about it in other markets.

No not all business' can afford to pay 70% of their employees health care benefits but I am all for paying this extra tax, knowing that this is helping the employees afford health care.