safety shoes for all!
I didn't want this to get buried in the deep comment thread of my previous post on this topic, so I'm adding a new post here:
Here's a great, real-life example of the type of plan I've been suggesting all day. I am not making any of this up.
My employer will reimburse you for safety shoes (steel-toe, ESD safe) if your job requires them. They will pay up to $130 per year - no more, no less. The shoe stores dealing in safety shoes have many, many different types of safety shoes - dress shoes, boots, sneakers, loafers, you name it. Some are more stylish than others, more comfortable than others, etc. The shoe stores also know the amount my employer pays because it's made public.
The shoe stores have many pairs of shoes priced at EXACTLY $65 including tax. Why? Because they know that people like to have two pairs of shoes to wear to work and are more apt to buy them if they meet their reimbursement amount exactly. They also have some nicer shoes - more stylish, possibly more comfortable, more durable in adverse weather, etc. - for various prices. Some nicer pairs cost between $65 and $130 so you could still buy them with the company money if you only chose one pair, and even have a little left over to put towards a second pair. Some pairs are over $130 and you have to add your own money.
To buy a pair of safety shoes, I have two options*. I can simply purchase the shoes using my own money (cash, credit card, whatever), keep the receipt, submit it to my employer and receive a reimbursement. If I don't want to use my money up front, I can fill out a form, get the appropriate authorization numbers and signatures at work, take in the form, and my employer will pay the shoe store directly.
*For the record, I think the second option is only available to me when the shoe store brings their stock to our campus and has a "shoe fair", which is fairly often. Still, that option is there.
THIS IS HOW HEALTH CARE SHOULD WORK.
- You should have many, many choices of companies and plans.
- The amount in a tax credit you get should be based on the current price of basic health care plans.
- You should have the option to purchase a better plan should you have the money and desire to do so.
- You should be able to fill out paperwork so that you don't need to pay out of pocket and get reimbursed.
- This would likely cause health insurance companies to offer plans EXACTLY at the rate the government gives you.
- Companies would still compete in terms of services offered at the tax credit rate.
Benefits:
- There is coverage for everyone who wants it.
- People are treated as adults and not forced into anything by a Nanny State.
- We leverage the existing infrastructure of private companies instead of putting thousands of people out of work.
- You have the FREEDOM to choose a company that works for you.
- You have the FREEDOM to leave a company and go somewhere else if you don't like the service you're getting (i.e., if they try to make you pay for something that should be covered).
- There could be laws requiring that you are covered at the basic, tax-credit rate plans no matter what your health conditions are, or even increases in the tax-credit you receive if you have certain conditions.
- COMPETITION for your business motivates companies to lower costs, provide better service, and innovate.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PLAN?
Edit: The alternative shoe plan, as an analogy to universal healthcare as suggested by Democrats and Michael Moore.
The company purchases shoes for you. You don't get to choose the store, you don't get to choose the style of shoe. There is one style and one color. If you want to get safety shoes elsewhere, you can do so, but the employer won't pay for them. Employees get shoes whether they need them or not. Many employees get shoes every year and pile them up in their closet or throw them out because their job doesn't require that they wear safety shoes.
Here's a great, real-life example of the type of plan I've been suggesting all day. I am not making any of this up.
My employer will reimburse you for safety shoes (steel-toe, ESD safe) if your job requires them. They will pay up to $130 per year - no more, no less. The shoe stores dealing in safety shoes have many, many different types of safety shoes - dress shoes, boots, sneakers, loafers, you name it. Some are more stylish than others, more comfortable than others, etc. The shoe stores also know the amount my employer pays because it's made public.
The shoe stores have many pairs of shoes priced at EXACTLY $65 including tax. Why? Because they know that people like to have two pairs of shoes to wear to work and are more apt to buy them if they meet their reimbursement amount exactly. They also have some nicer shoes - more stylish, possibly more comfortable, more durable in adverse weather, etc. - for various prices. Some nicer pairs cost between $65 and $130 so you could still buy them with the company money if you only chose one pair, and even have a little left over to put towards a second pair. Some pairs are over $130 and you have to add your own money.
To buy a pair of safety shoes, I have two options*. I can simply purchase the shoes using my own money (cash, credit card, whatever), keep the receipt, submit it to my employer and receive a reimbursement. If I don't want to use my money up front, I can fill out a form, get the appropriate authorization numbers and signatures at work, take in the form, and my employer will pay the shoe store directly.
*For the record, I think the second option is only available to me when the shoe store brings their stock to our campus and has a "shoe fair", which is fairly often. Still, that option is there.
THIS IS HOW HEALTH CARE SHOULD WORK.
- You should have many, many choices of companies and plans.
- The amount in a tax credit you get should be based on the current price of basic health care plans.
- You should have the option to purchase a better plan should you have the money and desire to do so.
- You should be able to fill out paperwork so that you don't need to pay out of pocket and get reimbursed.
- This would likely cause health insurance companies to offer plans EXACTLY at the rate the government gives you.
- Companies would still compete in terms of services offered at the tax credit rate.
Benefits:
- There is coverage for everyone who wants it.
- People are treated as adults and not forced into anything by a Nanny State.
- We leverage the existing infrastructure of private companies instead of putting thousands of people out of work.
- You have the FREEDOM to choose a company that works for you.
- You have the FREEDOM to leave a company and go somewhere else if you don't like the service you're getting (i.e., if they try to make you pay for something that should be covered).
- There could be laws requiring that you are covered at the basic, tax-credit rate plans no matter what your health conditions are, or even increases in the tax-credit you receive if you have certain conditions.
- COMPETITION for your business motivates companies to lower costs, provide better service, and innovate.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PLAN?
Edit: The alternative shoe plan, as an analogy to universal healthcare as suggested by Democrats and Michael Moore.
The company purchases shoes for you. You don't get to choose the store, you don't get to choose the style of shoe. There is one style and one color. If you want to get safety shoes elsewhere, you can do so, but the employer won't pay for them. Employees get shoes whether they need them or not. Many employees get shoes every year and pile them up in their closet or throw them out because their job doesn't require that they wear safety shoes.