Readers Respond: A letter on health care
[The following letter was a response to "Poll Question: Bernie's idea for health care."]
As a small business owner I feel that the onus of health insurance should be removed from dependence on employment. As an employer our company pays $12,000 per month to insure 18 employees on a PPO policy with deductibles and co-payments, That comes to $144,000 per year. Our employees contribute $425/monthly for single, $603.00.monthly for children, $1079.00/monthly for spouse & children.
I believe that basic healthcare in America should be affordable to everyone, just like it is in all civilized first world countries. If I were to contribute $200/per month per employee (total of 27 employees (only 18 are on our plan, others are on their spouse's plan or on Medicare) the cost for this would be $5400/monthly or $64,800 annually, less than half of what I currently pay to the insurance company.
There should still exist the possibility of buying Major medical insurance or supplementary insurance for those who wish to pay for this themselves. This would ensure that everyone could have coverage. Those who are NOT EMPLOYED would have to be covered by the Government's Medicare for All costs which would still be less than private insurance costs.
There is a way to do this and the business community needs to take the lead and make this happen even if it takes time and negotiations. We cannot continue paying astronomical insurance premiums so insurance company shareholders and CEOS's can make HUGE PROFITS while allowing people to go bankrupt to pay hospitals or to die because they cannot afford to buy medicine or pay hospitals and doctors.
It is more than time for the elites or business people of this country to show they value the people of this country.
Thank you.
Yanick Bayard
As a small business owner I feel that the onus of health insurance should be removed from dependence on employment. As an employer our company pays $12,000 per month to insure 18 employees on a PPO policy with deductibles and co-payments, That comes to $144,000 per year. Our employees contribute $425/monthly for single, $603.00.monthly for children, $1079.00/monthly for spouse & children.
I believe that basic healthcare in America should be affordable to everyone, just like it is in all civilized first world countries. If I were to contribute $200/per month per employee (total of 27 employees (only 18 are on our plan, others are on their spouse's plan or on Medicare) the cost for this would be $5400/monthly or $64,800 annually, less than half of what I currently pay to the insurance company.
There should still exist the possibility of buying Major medical insurance or supplementary insurance for those who wish to pay for this themselves. This would ensure that everyone could have coverage. Those who are NOT EMPLOYED would have to be covered by the Government's Medicare for All costs which would still be less than private insurance costs.
There is a way to do this and the business community needs to take the lead and make this happen even if it takes time and negotiations. We cannot continue paying astronomical insurance premiums so insurance company shareholders and CEOS's can make HUGE PROFITS while allowing people to go bankrupt to pay hospitals or to die because they cannot afford to buy medicine or pay hospitals and doctors.
It is more than time for the elites or business people of this country to show they value the people of this country.
Thank you.
Yanick Bayard