Posted on 08/24/2006 12:53:30 PM PDT by Sopater
Companies will simply stop offering benefits to people other than the employees as a way around this.
That's fine with me - just another step in the uncoupling of health insurance and work.
Pointing out inequities can be constructive.
What is the reason for that?
In your perfect world, pray tell, what will it be recoupled with in the aftermath of a lot of people's coverage not coming through employers anymore?
Eek!
People buy individual plans or join groups with buying power. Or, the individual is covered and the employee simply pays for the add ons but at a discounted rate made available through the size of the company's membership.
The Boston Globe told its Gay employees to get married or risk losing benefits.
Many people are anchored to their jobs because if they left, they might not get health care at their new job because of pre-existing conditions.
If each person had their own health insurance, free of ties to their job, we would not have as many problems with health insurance as we do now. (note I said "as many")
How about you buy your own plan - many of us who are self-employed or who have small businesses have successfully managed to obtain quality, reasonably-priced health insurance.
You might even get an employer to give you more money in salary if they aren't paying for your health care too.
It's always amazing to me that people are so wedded to the status quo that they don't even look at alternatives.
I was wondering just how long it would take.
Significant others will be included. Then watch for same sex friends who are living together claiming significant other status (really, how are you going to make the prove that they are lesbian or homosexual)
I say let's take it one step further and completely sever the link between "employment" and "work." Nobody hires employees anymore . . . instead, every "employee" functions as an independent contractor who is responsible for his/her own insurance policies, vacation time, etc.
That's about what we have already. There's an interesting book by Daniel Pink called "Free Agent Nation" arguing for just that model.
*snicker* Not that Iwould know, mind you,but I think it's "bEStiality" ;)
"You might even get an employer to give you more money in salary if they aren't paying for your health care too"
But, then, you have to pay *taxes* on the extra pay. It is never a zero sum game.
Get the FedGov out of the health care business and add a bit of tort reform, then maybe everyone could afford health care.
Put this in your pipe and smoke it you PC pukes. May you and your lawyers rot.
If it worked like home insurance with shared risk, ok. Nut if a person has a major health problem...................Shared risk is the only way health insurance can work, as bad as it is.
"....because if they left, they might not get health care at their new job because of pre-existing conditions."
And if they had those pre-exisiting conditions they couldn't afford health care no matter where they worked if it wasn't available through a company plan.
I think your reasoning is skewed on this issue.
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