From L.A. Times, 10.28.11, by David Lazarus
When Wal-Mart, the country's largest private employer, announced the other day that it's cutting back on health coverage for workers, it wasn't just the latest sign that our healthcare system is out of reach for a growing number of people.
It was also the clearest indication to date that our employer-based health insurance system has let us down, saddling millions of families with rising healthcare costs and leaving millions more out in the cold.
"The system is failing us," said Alain Enthoven, a professor emeritus at the Stanford Graduate School of Business who served as a consultant to the Carter administration on healthcare issues. "It hasn't worked out as intended."
Our employer-based health insurance system was a historical accident. Businesses began offering health benefits during World War II to attract workers during a government-imposed wage freeze, and the perk gradually became the primary form of coverage in the United States.
About 169 million Americans were covered by employer-based insurance plans as of last year, according to the Census Bureau.
Ours is the only developed nation to deliver health coverage in this way. Most others offer public insurance plans or allow for tightly regulated individual policies sold by private companies.
Ours is also the only nation where if you lose your job, your family can become uninsured.
Published October 29th, 2011Like this post? Consider sharing it on
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