The idea is to get more people to buy their insurance privately.
Employer-provided health benefits are a creation of the government, they're not a natural or organic thing. They're there because tax incentives encouraged them to be there.
People buying insurance on the open market will reduce costs, increase availability, and increase flexibility.
I have no problem with that...
no, what will happen is that if you destroy (tax) employer provided health plans in this country - those people will go running to government for universal medicare.
when the goverment wants to encourage a behavior, it provides preferential tax treatment. there is nothing wrong with that.