[endthematrix]

"If the tax exemption were removed, employees could bargain with their employers for higher take-home pay in lieu of medical care and provide for their own medical care either by dealing directly with medical care providers or by purchasing medical insurance. Removal of the tax exemption would enable governments to reduce the tax rate on income while raising the same total revenue. This hidden subsidy for medical care, currently more than $100 billion a year, is not included in reported figures on government health spending."

Kinda lost on this. Meaning that the $100 BILLION would be retained by the Fed and in turn it would lower income tax? There is a lot of variables in that paragraph.

[Jaysun]

Kinda lost on this. Meaning that the $100 BILLION would be retained by the Fed and in turn it would lower income tax? There is a lot of variables in that paragraph.

(zoom zoom) That crap flew by me too.

I think he's saying that the exemption should be removed to stop encouraging businesses to provide health care STOP this would encourage employees to hash out a better income from their employers (no insurance? show me the money)STOP the Feds could lower the tax rate on income, and still end up with the same amount of cash because the employees would be making more money (lower the percentage while also increasing the dollars to be taxed will result in a wash).

This all sounds like a pipe dream and he overlooks the fact that such an arrangement gives the shaft to business (which raises the cost of capital) bad bad bad. I still say it's easier, and more effective to leave things as they are and have Senor Insurance Agent call up his customers and say, "Hey, if you watch what you make us spend on your behalf, and save us some money where you can, we'll kick some of it back to you come Christmas time." That's simple, feasible, and it gives the consumers a reason to be thrifty. And as we all know, thrifty is nifty.