Reply #29: Divorce health insurance from the employers

[TexasBushwhacker]

I think most employers would be glad to have it taken away from them. That way employees wouldn't be tethered to employers by their health insurance policy.

The employers could pay employees what they've been paying in premiums and the employees have the medicare (new national health insurance) witheld from their paychecks just like SSI and Medicare is withheld now. If you work, you contribute - PERIOD. It would level the playing field for self employed individuals, as well as for employers who either can't afford or don't want to offer health insurance. Health insurance companies could still be used to process claims, just as they're used to process Medicare claims now.

With every person covered by the same plan from cradle to grave, their would be more incentive to practice preventive medicine. As it stands now, many insurers won't cover certain costly treatments or procedures because they figure the person might change jobs (and insurance) first before treatments get even more costly.