CNN Money reports:
Despite a drop in inflation, the annual cost of employer-sponsored family health insurance coverage has risen 5% this year to $13,375, according to a new survey released Tuesday. Employers picked up the lion's share of that tab. Companies paid an average of $9,860, while their workers picked up the other $3,515, according to the 2009 survey of employers from the Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research & Educational Trust. Kaiser is a nonprofit, nonpartisan health policy research foundation.Many small businesses and entrepreneurs are already unable to pay for health care insurance for themselves and their families. Many have long not been able to offer health care insurance to their employees. In Michigan the unemployment rate is the highest in the country at 15.6% and salaries have decreased 6.6% from 2008. Maybe we should both take away health care benefit from Congress members and decrease their salaries.
America's broke, right? For all of those men and women in Congress who want to run government as a business, they themselves have not taken a necessary pay cut or a reduction in benefits. Yet, many in Congress insist that Americans find a means to pay exorbitant premiums for health care insurance with increased unemployment rates and salary reductions.
We should sincerely take health care benefits away from Congress members immediately, and perhaps even decrease their salary. They will then soon see the necessity for a public option that will make rates affordable for them. This way they will see the necessity of a public option for us. Many seem so aloof and self-absorbed that this seems like the best option, pun intended.
Here is the question: How can we implement this?
4 comments:
Hi Judith,
I totally agree with your assessment. Congress really doesn't get it but of course they won't take away their benefits. That would be too easy. I am not sure what will happen in this debate. Something needs to be done but everything is so distorted and muddled with half truths that it doesn't seem like anything will get done. Thanks for your thought provoking posts.
Hey The Write Girl - I'm still hoping for an option of some sort. I don't think it's dead. I also believe that the heat of the summer has waned and more clarity has been brought to this fundamental issue that affects and will affect so many Americans.
I agree with your post also. It would be interesting to see what government employees would do if they had to take cuts during bad economies or as a result of bad decisions just like the mid and small businessmen and women.
Corrie - I really like the idea of responsiblity that comes with making bad decisions. Such decisions are often in favor of those who support their campaigns against the best interest of the people.
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