[Mavdog]

Originally Posted by kg_veteran

And, of course, if you disconnected health insurance from employment, that person would be able to stay with the plan they had if they so chose. The problem arises when you are on one group plan and are then forced to leave that plan because you are no longer employed by the same employer. If termination of employment didn't end coverage (after the COBRA period), then this wouldn't be an issue.

Thanks for agreeing with me.

actually, this shows the extent to which the system needs reforming.

apparently you agree with me on this need.

And you expect those new people to cover their own costs? Really?

a pool of healthy and ill insured allows the combined premiums to cover the costs, that's the fundamental structure of insurance.

it works, has for a long time.

This indicates that fewer employers are able to afford health insurance premiums, not that health insurance has been disconnected from employment. I'll repeat what I said: the bulk (majority) of people that are insured in this country receive their health insurance through their employer.

but the rate of coverage is decreasing, didn't you see that in the articles?

actually it is both cost of coverage and the number providing coverage, as fewer and fewer people are employed by large cos and not provided lifelong job security. people move from job to job as well.

half of all workers are in small businesses, and a majority of workers do not work for large cos. the per cent covered by employer policies is declining, and declining at a greater rate.

that's why the system as it has been established in the past, based on employer provided coverage, must be reformed to adapt to this new environment.

so yes, we do need health care reform.