Employer-Paid Health Insurance Does Not Work

News and Opinion for Democrats Against Bush -- Part II

Employer-Paid Health Insurance Does Not Work

"...A recent ABC News- Washington Post poll found that, by a margin of almost 2 to 1, Americans would prefer a government system covering everyone instead of the employer-based system. ... This year, total spending for private health insurance will top $500 billion, according to the Health Insurance Association of America, a trade group. Why not spend it rationally, and lift the yoke of medical insurance serfdom from employers and employees alike?"

The New York Times

ON THE CONTRARY November 2, 2003

Why Do Employers Pay for Health Insurance, Anyhow?

By DANIEL AKST

The complete article may be purchased from the New York Times archives at-- http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20F11F739540C718CDDA80994DB404482

Excerpt--

NOBODY expects employers to provide groceries, housing or clothing, but for odd historical reasons American employers have evolved into providers of health insurance. Nearly two-thirds of Americans under 65 rely on health coverage from an employer.

Why should we hate the employer-financed system? Let us count the ways: ...

There is no good reason for any of this, aside from historical accident. ...

Daniel Akst's column tilts at conventional business wisdom and appears the first Sunday of each month. E-mail: culmoney@nytimes.com.

New York Times

November 18, 2003

The Universal Cure

By EZEKIEL J. EMANUEL and VICTOR R. FUCHS

The complete article may be purchased online from the New York Times website at-- http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70717FC355C0C7B8DDDA80994DB404482

Quotes--

... What we need is a fair proposal that is simple, efficient and appealing to disparate constituencies. For more than a decade, as members of the medical and economics communities, we have advocated such an alternative: universal health care vouchers. ...

This would continue to be a decentralized system with existing health plans contracting with providers, but their insurance would no longer be employment-based. ... Without costly insurance worries, companies could compete for workers by offering higher wages and better working conditions.

A voucher system would also enable the government to end Medicaid and phase out Medicare. ...

...Vouchers hold the promise of securing wide support. Democrats have long favored the notion of universality, while Republicans instinctively favor voucher plans and have longed for the demise of Medicare and Medicaid. Businesses want to stop providing health insurance, and Americans want guaranteed health coverage with choice.

Ezekiel J. Emanuel, oncologist and bioethicist, is author of "No Margin, Nor Mission." Victor R. Fuchs, professor emeritus of economics at Stanford, is author of "Who Shall Live?"

Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/18/opinion/18EMAN.html?

Enter supporting content here

FAIR USE NOTICE

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.