I've a feeling lots of folks glaze over when I start posts with "there's a new study out of...", but hang on a second, this one's a good one. The Commonwealth Fund reports that a full nine out of every 10 Americans who seek private insurance never buy. Of those who do apply for a plan, 20 percent are turned down or charged much more for a preexisting condition. And of those who settle for a cheaper, high-deductible plan, 40 percent eventually realize some of their medical costs aren't covered by insurance.
In other words, insurance on the private market is expensive. Too expensive for most of those seeking it. Employers aren't picking up a portion of the costs, there's no risk sharing so your past conditions and personal proclivities come into play, and it's not tax deductible, as it is for businesses. Add in that most folks rich enough to easily purchase private insurance will work in a position or for an employer who offers coverage, and you get a sense of how we're subsidizing (through employer deductibility) the wrong end of the spectrum. The bottom line is, for most folks, the only road towards comprehensive coverage leads through corporate headquarters.
