tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14162253.post474029573040044699..comments2024-03-28T18:57:15.124-06:00Comments on Wash Park Prophet: Turning PointAndrew Oh-Willekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02537151821869153861noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14162253.post-34178497228247729202010-03-23T17:10:16.890-06:002010-03-23T17:10:16.890-06:00The public option has almost no relationship to si...The public option has almost no relationship to single payer. Drawing a connnection between the two inaccurately muddies the waters.The public option is simply a government sponsored health insurance company without a profit motive.<br /><br />The penalties on employers are not going to kill jobs, because the overhwelming majority of employers with 50 or more employees already get health insurance as a matter of economic reality. In 2009, more than <a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=14162253&postID=474029573040044699" rel="nofollow">98% of employers with 200 or more employees and 95% of employers with 50-199 employees</a> provide health insurance (and hence aren't subject to the penalty). Also, the penalties ($750 per employee for a 50 employee firm and $5,000 per employee for a large firm), if a company chooses to pay then and not provide health insurance are far lower than the cost of getting health insurance. <br /><br />The plan simply avoids a race to the bottom. More costs for you don't kill jobs if your competitors do the same thing and everyone in the market collectively increases their prices a little as a result.Andrew Oh-Willekehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02537151821869153861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14162253.post-49821191460609861442010-03-23T16:45:28.020-06:002010-03-23T16:45:28.020-06:00The talk show hosts on 760 AM are incensed that De...The talk show hosts on 760 AM are incensed that Democrats in general, and Kucinich in particular, dropped support for the public option, which of course would have paved the way for single payer.<br /><br />Even though I advocate for free market solutions, I have to admit that single payer would be better than the new healthcare bill, or even our current system.<br /><br />The penalties on employers are going to kill jobs. $37,500/year for hiring employee #50 and $1 million/year for hiring employee #200. (And an equal savings for firing #50 or #200.)Michael Malakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10007582156392845677noreply@blogger.com