ClydeR
12-08-2008, 11:46 AM
Some liberals are using the economic recession for political purposes by arguing that the rising unemployment rate shows that the employer-provided health care system widely used in the United States is not working for the unemployed. What a dumb argument!
About 10.3 million Americans were unemployed in November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The number of unemployed has increased by 2.8 million, or 36 percent, since January of this year, and by 4.3 million, or 71 percent, since January 2001.
Most people are covered through the workplace, so when they lose their jobs, they lose their health benefits. On average, for each jobless worker who has lost insurance, at least one child or spouse covered under the same policy has also lost protection, public health experts said.
Expanding access to health insurance, with federal subsidies, was a priority for President-elect Barack Obama and the new Democratic Congress. The increase in the ranks of the uninsured, including middle-class families with strong ties to the work force, adds urgency to their efforts.
More... (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/us/07uninsured.html)
What this argument fails to point out is that if the government were paying for health insurance, then the fiscal burden would be enormous in times of recession, and either the deficit or taxes would be higher.
Most of the above linked article is anecdotes about particular unfortunate people, including one woman who had labor induced early when she learned that her employer insurance was about to be terminated, and then her insurer denied coverage. But the article does make a point on the second page about COBRA not being available if the employer's group health plan terminates, which might happen if the employer goes bankrupt.
About 10.3 million Americans were unemployed in November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The number of unemployed has increased by 2.8 million, or 36 percent, since January of this year, and by 4.3 million, or 71 percent, since January 2001.
Most people are covered through the workplace, so when they lose their jobs, they lose their health benefits. On average, for each jobless worker who has lost insurance, at least one child or spouse covered under the same policy has also lost protection, public health experts said.
Expanding access to health insurance, with federal subsidies, was a priority for President-elect Barack Obama and the new Democratic Congress. The increase in the ranks of the uninsured, including middle-class families with strong ties to the work force, adds urgency to their efforts.
More... (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/us/07uninsured.html)
What this argument fails to point out is that if the government were paying for health insurance, then the fiscal burden would be enormous in times of recession, and either the deficit or taxes would be higher.
Most of the above linked article is anecdotes about particular unfortunate people, including one woman who had labor induced early when she learned that her employer insurance was about to be terminated, and then her insurer denied coverage. But the article does make a point on the second page about COBRA not being available if the employer's group health plan terminates, which might happen if the employer goes bankrupt.