For a 50K per year employee, the employer's share of the health insurane plus social security, medicare, workmans comp, unemployment insurance, etc., plus any other state taxes must be approaching the 'Eurosclerotic' level of 40%-50% of wages.
I wouldn't be surprised to see mandatory national health insurance in 5-10 years.
that is true, there is also a push from employers for everything to go national.
I know my employer has stated it plainly - they are drifting towards a 50/50 split on health insurance costs between the employer, and the employee (through deductibles, co-pays, monthly paycheck contributions, etc). so I look at is this way:
- I have to pay taxes so medicaid persons can get free health care (including illegals)
- I have to pay taxes so senior citizens can be on medicare
- I have to pay taxes so municipal workers and government employees, public school employees, can get good medical plans, even into retirement
- then, I have to pay 50% of my own employer provided health insurance
at some point, don't I say "the hell with it" - I'm better off with medicare extended to everyone, with some broad based consumption tax funding it all? at least the groups identified above, who now "underpay" or pay nothing at all for their health care, will pay into the system through a consumption tax.
Nah, world health insurance. Isn't there something about a Healthy People 2010?