Why Is Healthcare Tied to Jobs in America?
Aug.08, 2007 in
Election 2008
Check out this video of a question from last night’s AFL-CIO Presidential Forum.
I’ve had jobs I didn’t leave because of a health care plan.
I’ve had jobs I could stay at only because of Carly’s health care plan.
Health care tied to jobs creates a disincentive for changing jobs. This creates a drag on the economy.
The guy in the video linked to above stayed with the same company for decades due to the health care they provided, and for the health care they would continue to provide him in retirement. In the end, his loyalty screwed him over.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
Helluva question, and a good answer.
Now, next step.
Politicians blow with the wind, good politicians–and I DO think Edwards is a good one–can deliver the charm and leadership to move people, BUT,
–the key is how far these people are willing to move forward. The Clintons tried in the 90s, but no one followed and that allowed the huge pharma and medical self interest lobby to dictate our current dilemma
It only begins with good leadership, but it comes down to people in the trenches, and it comes down to masses of people creating a groundswell that pro-politicians can use as justification for this big change, and opposition politicians cannot ignore, distract, or discourage with shiny objects or fear.
Universal health care, don’t ask why (this guy told us why and that is just one of many reasons; there are other reasons like why my two sons–19 and 25–do not have it); instead ask why not?
What do you personally have to lose from trying it? I have nothing to lose (because I have been blessed with good health), but a lot to gain (because my sons would receive health coverage and I would be able to change jobs easier or take a risk on a new venture because I wouldn’t be risking my health in the process).
Health care is severely broken in this country. We have many more reasons to change than to not change. Go see SICKO if you need it dramatized.
But here is my little health care anecdote to argue for change–A year and half ago, I finally went to a doctor for a mere checkup because I turned 50 and that is what you are supposed to do, right? So, I go through all the hassles to arrange a visit, sit for an hour in the waiting room with sick people, see the nurse for the real work of collecting history-blood-urine, and wait for the doctor who sweeps in for a nice chat before sending me on my way to wait for the lab results. He calls me a few days later giving me the clean results and end of story, right? Wrong. Somewhere in the bowels of our fine health care / insurance quagmire, they missed connecting all the dots and I ended up with letters threatening me with collections because the lab couldn’t find my insurance info which I had given to the clinic who requested the lab work…I’m sorry, don’t you people know each other, if not, why are you doing lab work for a clinic you do not know? So, of course, I let them twist in the wind over that $100 lab bill and insisted on forcing them to figure out how to contact each other…as far as I know, it is still unpaid. Ironically, I received a one of those famous ‘this is not a bill–just explaining how clumsy we are with your health care’ letters just last week (1 1/2 years later, remember) to let me know they have paid the doctor who gave me the physical…I was impressed, 500 days later, they paid that $50 bill for his consultation. Maybe the lab is next?
Anyway, I can’t imagine a new system would be worse; but I can imagine how awful my bill handling and collection threatening would have been had I had a real health issue and a bill in the $1000s or tens of $1000s.
I’m ready for a change. How about you? Do you trust your company to be around with health coverage for you in five years? Do you want to hope the big pharma and medical lobbyist reforms will take care of you?
–Na, don’t bother, you’ll always be healthy and your employers will always take care of you.