4.4 - Medical Care
4.4.1 - Equity
I've been thinking about medical care. As we all know, it is expensive, and either you pay directly, or else if you had the money and the foresight, and were fortunate enough not to have any pre-existing conditions that the insurance company has decided render you uninsurable, you paid in advance in the form of insurance. Or else you pay as you go, or you go into debt, or you just plain suffer or die. Unless... your job pays your insurance.
And it was while contemplating this idea, the "job" paying for your insurance, that my thoughts came to a screeching halt. Now, it only takes a little insight to figure this out. So work with me here.
First of all, let us imagine for a moment that you work for the utility company. You know, gas, electricity, water. Just so we can point a finger. Now, let us further imagine that the utility company provides you with medical insurance; in the end, this is the same as providing you with medical care, I think we can agree. Now, to the extent that you're not paying or co-paying for that insurance, that's what I mean by the "job provides." Otherwise, you are providing, and that's not what I'm concerned with here.
Now, the money that the utility company is paying for that insurance policy with is coming from where? From the utility company customers. Let's say that is Joe. Now, Joe has to pay for his utilities. Otherwise he freezes or swelters, can't run his refrigerator, flush his toilet, etc. I think most people would agree with me when I assert that paying his utility bill isn't really an "option."
And of course, the cost of your insurance, that is, the insurance that the utility company provides to you, is built into Joe's utility bill. So it is clear that in fact, Joe must pay for your insurance. The policy of having your insurance built into Joe's bill isn't something he can control. It's there, if he doesn't pay it, he doesn't get utilities. So it's a done deal in every sense of the phrase.
Unfortunately, this means that the opportunity for Joe to get medical insurance is reduced by his having to pay for your insurance first.
Now, some might say, "well, but there are many utility company customers and only a few employees by comparison, so it's really not that much." This is true. However, Joe is also paying for the insurance of the gasoline vendor's employees, the phone company's, his Internet service provider's, the city's employees, the county's employees, the state's employees, the federal employees... you get the idea.
I guess it is no wonder that Joe... your average Joe... can't afford medical insurance. He has to buy everyone else's, first.
I have no suggestions or solutions. I'm just deeply disturbed by this idea.
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