On Sept. 28, I read in another newspaper a story with this headline: “Employer health coverage costs soar ? Survey finds annual family premiums hit $15,000.” That is a lot of money. But, employers deduct health care costs from tax bills, so the net cost is less than $15,000. Yet, if an employer”s net coverage cost rose by 9 percent (as the story said), I would expect him to look for a less expensive plan.
Well, except that employers are not allowed to buy it, there is a great medical plan that covers millions of us, and it costs each plan member just $1,156.80 per year. It is called Medicare. Many (including my wife and I) also buy supplemental insurance; ours costs $3,966.40 annually. So, if I were employed by an employer who could and did buy Medicare coverage and supplemental insurance at my cost, and if he paid the whole bill, my employer”s cost before tax credit would be $5,123.20 per year. That is 1/3 of the $15,000 average cost. Don”t you wonder why employers do not demand that Congress make Medicare available to everyone, including employers? I do.
Don K. Moeller
Kelseyville
