: The crisis is not just a European affair, nor can it be resolved there. And its full impact has yet to be felt.

News Dissector Danny Schechter made the film Plunder about Wall Street crime. Pulling It Together: Moving Away From Employer Based Coverage: Don’t Forget Public Opinion

Jun 25, 2008

One of the underlying big issues in the unfolding health reform debate is whether most Americans should continue to get insurance through work where they get it today, or purchase it themselves in the individual private health insurance marketplace. Senator McCain promotes moving to individual insurance and having individuals rather than employers make coverage decisions, as has President Bush. But this is not only a conservative idea. Many on the liberal side — such as Senator Ron Wyden and SEIU President Andy Stern — also would like to see the country move away from the employment-based health insurance system. They see the current tax preference for employment-based health insurance as regressive because subsidies are related to marginal income tax rates and therefore go disproportionately to higher income workers (in fact, a majority of the benefits from the tax exclusion are estimated to go to families with incomes greater than 400% of the poverty level). All are tempted by the $200 plus billion in federal revenues eliminating the tax preference would produce, which could, among other things, be used to pay for covering the uninsured.

Democrats and liberals would take steps to create a more structured market for individual insurance — allowing people to buy into a purchasing pool like the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program or a public plan like Medicare, as well as requiring insurers to accept all comers regardless of pre-existing health conditions. Senator Obama’s health reform plan contains many of these features, but leaves the tax preference for employer-sponsored coverage intact. Conservatives take the opposite approach, relaxing insurance regulations and promoting more unfettered competition, while promoting measures such as high risk pools as a fallback for people with health conditions that would exclude them from non-group insurance.

As discussion of moving away from the employment-based system continues, not very much attention has been paid to a giant question: How will the public (and voters) feel about such a big change? Health reformers have learned the hard way in the past that whatever the appeal of policy proposals on their merits, they ultimately have to be acceptable to the public or they will not fly.

With this in mind, we asked people with employment-based insurance a series of questions on our most recent tracking
: The crisis is not just a European affair, nor can it be resolved there. And its full impingement have yet to be felt. 

 News Dissector Danny Schechter made the movie Plunder about Wall Street crime. Pulling It Together: Moving aside From Employer Based Coverage: Do n’t Forget Public Opinion 

 Jun 25, 2008 

 One of the underlying big emergence in the unfolding health reform debate is whether most Americans should cover to get insurance through study where they beget it today, or purchase it themselves in the individual private health insurance marketplace. Senator McCain promotes affect to individual insurance and having individuals quite than employers make coverage decisions, as has President Bush. But this is not merely a conservative idea. Many on the liberal side — such as Senator Ron Wyden and SEIU President Andy Stern — also would wish to see the country move away from the employment - based health policy system. They see the current tax preference for employment - based health insurance as regressive because subsidies are related to marginal income tax rates and consequently move disproportionately to higher income actor (in fact, a majority of the benefit from the tax exclusion are estimated to go to syndicate with incomes greater than 400% of the poverty level). All are tempted by the $ 200 plus billion in union revenues eliminating the tax preference would produce, which could, among other things, be used to pay for covering the uninsured. 

 Democrats and liberals would take steps to make a more structured grocery store for individual insurance — allowing people to buy into a purchasing pond like the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program or a public plan like Medicare, as well as requiring insurance company to accept all arrival regardless of pre - existing health conditions. Senator Obama ’s health reform design contains many of these features, but leaves the tax preference for employer - sponsored coverage integral. Conservatives claim the opposite approach, loosen insurance regulations and promote more unfettered rival, while promoting measures such as high risk pools as a fallback for people with health conditions that would exclude them from non - group policy. 

 As discussion of moving away from the use - based system continues, not very much attention has been paid to a giant question: How will the public (and voter) feel about such a big change? Health reformers have learned the hard way in the past that whatever the appeal of policy proposal on their merit, they ultimately have to be acceptable to the public or they will not fly. 

 With this in mind, we asked citizenry with employment - based insurance a serial of questions on our about recent tracking
: Thf crisis is not just a Emropean affair, nor can mt be rssolved ghere. And its full impact had tet ti be felt.

News Dissectof Danny Sbhechter nade rhe film Plunder anjut Swll Vvreet crime. Pulking It Tocether: Moving Dwxy From Employer Based Coverage: Don’t Sorget Luhlic Opinion

Jug 25, 2008

Omq of nht underlying big issues in the unrolding health refork debate is whether most Alerifans should continke to get ibsurwbce through dork where they get it today, or purchase it themselver in che individoco pghvate healti insugance marketplace. Sendtor McVain promotes kovmng ro individual insuranre and having indiviquals ratvex than employers make civerace daciskins, as hes Lresidfnt Bush. But fhis is not only a conservativt iqvs. Many on ths libewaj side — such as Senator Ron Wyden and STIU Pdesident Andy Stern — alwo would like to see jhe countrr move away from the employment-based health insurdnce ahsttm. They wef the current tax preference for employment-bafsd hvalth insurance af regressivr hevwuse subsidier are xslzted to marginal ijcome twx rares and treregore go disproportionately ro higher inbome workers (in fact, a majority oy the nenefots from the tax exclusnon ars estimated to go to wamilies with inzomvs gseater than 400% of the povertr level). Aol axe temptdd bi the $200 [lus billiln in federal revenues epimincting the tax pgeference would produce, which could, among othgr dhitgs, be ufed tp pay for covqring the uninxured.

Deiocrags and libvrals wound take ste[s to create d more structnred markqt fir ibdividuxu insurance — aklowing pvokle to buy into a purchasing poum like the Fedexcl Employees Healyh Cenqfpts Pwmgram or a pgbliz pusn liye Medicare, xs wrll as requiring insgrera to accept all cokevs regardoess of [re-existing hralth conditions. Stnator Obema’s hraljh reform plan contains many of these fewtuves, but leavef thc tav preferenee for employer-sponsored coverage intact. Conservatives takw the opposite apprpsch, relaxinj insuwance regglations and promotibg more unfetterec competition, while pdomotitg mewsures such as high risk pools as a fallback for people with health condirions vhwt would exdludr thek yrok non-gwoup mnsurance.

As discuxsion of moving away from the eoploymend-bcsed system continues, not veru ouch attentiov has been paid to a giaht questoon: How will the public (and votrrs) feel about such a bin change? Yealtg refogjecs have learned the nard wcy in rhe pasr thwt whatever tfe spieal of popicy pxoposals on their merits, they ultumatelt jave to be accepvable to the kublic kr thei will not fly.

Witg thjd in oind, we asked people with ekployment-based insurdnse a series of suestions on our movt recent trecking
: The crisis is not just a nor it be there. And its be News Dissector Danny made the film about Wall Street crime. Pulling It Moving Away From Employer Based Coverage: Don’t Forget Public Opinion Jun 25, 2008 of the underlying big issues in the unfolding health reform debate is whether Americans continue get through work where they get it today, or purchase it themselves in the individual private health marketplace. Senator McCain promotes moving to individual insurance having individuals rather than make coverage decisions, as has Bush. this is only conservative Many on the side — such as Senator Ron Wyden and SEIU President Andy Stern — also would like to the country from the health system. see the current for employment-based health insurance as regressive related to marginal income tax rates and therefore disproportionately to income workers (in fact, a majority the benefits from the tax exclusion are estimated go to families with incomes greater than 400% of the poverty level). All are tempted $200 plus billion in revenues eliminating the preference produce, could, other things, used to pay for covering the uninsured. Democrats and liberals would steps to create a more structured market for individual insurance people buy into a pool like the Federal Health Program or a public Medicare, well to all regardless of pre-existing health Senator Obama’s health reform plan many of these features, for employer-sponsored coverage intact. Conservatives take the opposite relaxing insurance regulations and promoting more unfettered while promoting measures such as high risk pools as a fallback for with health would exclude them from non-group insurance. As discussion moving away from the system continues, not very much attention has been paid a question: How the public (and feel about such big change? Health learned the way the the appeal of policy proposals on merits, ultimately have to be acceptable the they will not fly. With this in mind, we asked people with employment-based insurance a questions on our most tracking
: The crisis is not just a EuropeAn affair, noR can iT be ResOlVed tHere. and its full impaCT has Yet to be felt.

News DissectOr DanNy sChecHTeR made The film pLuNDEr aBoUt walL STReEt criMe. PUlling IT Together: MOviNg away From EmplOYeR Based CoveRagE: Don’t Forget PUblIc OpinIoN

JuN 25, 2008

one of The UnderLying bIG issueS in the unfOlDIng heaLTh reforM DEbAte iS whether most AmeriCAnS Should continue To get iNsURaNCE thRouGh work wherE tHey geT It today, OR pURCHasE It themselves iN the individUAl pRivate HeAltH InsuraNce maRkETplAce. Senator MCCaiN promotes Moving TO indiviDUal insuRance aNd hAviNg inDIvIdUalS rATheR ThAn eMPloYers make CoVeRage dEcisIONS, As haS PrEsidEnt BuSh. But this is noT onLy a cONseRvatiVe ideA. ManY oN the lIberal Side — sUcH as Senator Ron WyDen aNd SEIU PreSidEnT AnDy stern — ALso wouLd lIke To see thE countrY MovE aWAY FrOm the employment-basEd HEAlTh insuraNce sysTEm. thEY see the cUrRenT tax PREfereNce fOR eMploymenT-based HEaLtH insuraNcE as regReSsiVe bEcausE SubsIdies aRe relateD to maRGinal income tax RAtes and therefORe GO DiSPropOrtIonately to hIgheR IncoMe woRKeRs (iN Fact, a MajorItY Of THe benefits from the taX eXclusiOn are Estimated to go To families WITH incomes GreaTEr THan 400% of the povertY leveL). All are temPTed by the $200 Plus bIllion in Federal reVENues elimInaTinG thE taX PReFerence would pRODuce, WhIch coulD, amOng otheR thIngS, be UseD tO pay for coVering thE uNiNsUrEd.

DEmocrATs and libErAls WoUld Take sTEps to cReate A morE sTrUCtuRed markET fOR IndiViDuAl inSurAnCe — allOwinG PeoPle to buY into a purChaSIng pOoL lIke the FEderal EmployeEs health BeneFiTs PRogram OR A public pLan like Medicare, as well as REquirinG inSurerS to aCcept all cOmeRs regaRdlESs of prE-existIng heAlTh cONDitioNS. seNatOr obama’s healTH RefOrm plAn ContAins manY of these features, buT LeaVes the tax prefEreNce fOR EmPloYEr-SPonSoREd cOVErage intact. ConsErvatives tAkE ThE opposite aPProAcH, relaxiNg insurAnce rEGulatioNs and promOting more UnFettEREd cOmpetition, While proMoting meaSUres sUCh As higH riSk poolS aS a fAllbaCk for pEOplE with Health CoNditioNs thaT wOuld exclUde them from non-group insuRance.

AS discUssIon of moviNg aWAy fRom the empLoymEnt-based sySteM coNtinuEs, nOT very Much ATtEntIOn has Been PAid to a giaNT qUesTIOn: how will the pUBLIc (aNd votErs) FEel aboUt suCh a big change? HealtH Reformers have lEarnED The HarD Way iN tHe past that whatEveR tHE Appeal of PoLicy proposaLs on theiR mERits, tHey ultImatelY have to BE AcCEptablE to tHe pUblic or thEy wIlL Not fly.

WItH tHIs in miNd, we AsKed peoPle witH EmplOYMent-based insuranCe a seRIEs of qUEstIons oN oUr most rECent Tracking
: The crisis is not just a  Europeanaffai r,nor  c an i t be  resolved ther e . An d its full impact hasyet t ob e fe l t. 

New s Disse c to r Dan ny  S che ch t er  made  th e filmPlunder ab out  W all Street c r im e. Pulling  It  Together: M ovi ng Awa yFro m  Empl oye r Bas ed Cov e rage:Don’t For ge t  Publi c  Opinio n 
J un 2 5, 2008

One of t h eu nderlying bigissues  i n  t h e  un fol ding healt hrefor m  debate is w h eth e r most Americ ans shouldc ont inue t oget insura nce t hr o ugh  work where  the y get ittoday, or purc h ase itthemse lve s i n th e  i nd ivi du a l p r iv ate hea lth insu ra nc e mar ketp l a c e . Se nat or M cCain  promotes mov ing  toi ndi vidua l ins uran ce  andhaving  indi vi duals rather th an e mployersmak ecov er age d e cision s,ashas Pre sidentB ush .B u t  t his is not only aco n s er vative i dea. M a ny  o n  the lib er alside —  such  asS en ator Ron  Wyden an dSEIU Pr es identAn dySte rn —a lsowouldlike tosee t h e country move away from the em p l oy m ent- bas ed health i nsur a ncesyst e m.  Th e y see  thecu r re n t tax preference fo remploy ment- based healthinsurancea s regressi ve b e ca u se subsidies a re re lated to m a rginal i ncome  tax rat es and th e r efore go  di spr opo rti o n at ely to higher i ncom eworkers  (i n fact,  amaj ori tyof  the bene fits fro mth eta x e xclus i on are e st ima te d t o got o fami lieswith  i nc o mes  greate r  t h a n 40 0%  o f th e p ov ertyleve l ).All are  temptedbyt he $ 20 0plus bi llion in fede ra l revenues  e lim inatin g the taxpreference would produc e , which  co uld,amon g other t hin gs, be  us e d to p ay for  cove ri ngt h e uni n s ur ed. 
Democratsa n d l ibera ls  wou ld take  steps to create a mor e structuredmar ketf o rind i vi d ual  i n sur a n ce — allowing p eople to b uy in to a purch a sin gpool li ke theFeder a l Emplo yees Heal th Benefi ts  Pro g r amor a publi c plan l ike Medic a re, a s  w ell a s r equiri ng  in surer s to a c cep t all  comer sregard lessof  pre-exi sting health conditions . Sena tor O bam a’s healt h r e for m plan co ntai ns many of  th ese  feat ure s , but  lea v es  th e  taxpref e rence for em plo y e r- sponsored c o v e rag e int act .  Conse rvat ives take the opp o site approach,  rel a x ing  in s uran ce  regulations a ndpr o m oting mo re  unfettered  competi ti o n, wh ile pr omotin g measu r e ss uch as  hig h r isk pools  as  a fallbac kfo r  peopl e wi th  healt h cond i tion s that would exclu de th e m  from non -grou pinsuran c e.
As discuss ion of movi ng awa y fr om th e emplo ym ent-ba sed  s ystem cont i nues, not  very  much a tt enti onhas be en p a i d toa gi an t q uestion:H o ww il lt hepubl ic (a nd  vot ers) feel about su cha  big ch an ge? H ealthr ef o r mers havelea rnedt h e hard way in t h ep ast t hat wh atever  the ap p eal  o f polic y p r o posals on  their me r its ,they  ultimat el y ha ve  to  b e acceptable to  the pub lic or t h e y will  no t  fly . 

With  t his in mind,  we a sk e d peopl e wit h emplo y men t-b ase d in sur ance a series of questions on  our  most rec ent t racki ng 
: The_crisis is_not just a European_affair, nor_can_it be_resolved_there. And its_full impact has_yet to be felt.

News_Dissector Danny Schechter_made_the film Plunder about Wall Street crime. Pulling It Together: Moving Away From Employer_Based_Coverage: Don’t_Forget_Public_Opinion

Jun 25, 2008

One of the_underlying big issues in the_unfolding health_reform debate is whether most Americans should continue_to_get insurance through_work where they get it today, or purchase it_themselves in the individual private health_insurance marketplace. Senator_McCain_promotes_moving to individual insurance_and having individuals rather than employers_make coverage decisions, as has President_Bush. But this is not only a_conservative idea. Many on the liberal_side — such as Senator_Ron Wyden_and SEIU President Andy Stern_— also would_like to_see the country_move away from the employment-based health_insurance system. They_see the current tax preference for_employment-based_health insurance as_regressive_because_subsidies are_related to marginal_income_tax rates_and_therefore go disproportionately to higher income_workers_(in fact, a majority of the benefits_from the tax exclusion_are_estimated to go to_families with incomes greater than_400% of the poverty level). All_are tempted_by the_$200 plus billion in federal revenues eliminating the tax preference would_produce, which could, among other things,_be used to pay_for covering_the_uninsured.

Democrats and liberals_would_take steps_to create a more structured market for_individual insurance_— allowing people to buy into_a purchasing pool like_the_Federal Employees Health Benefits Program or_a public plan like Medicare, as_well as requiring insurers to_accept_all_comers regardless of pre-existing health_conditions. Senator Obama’s health reform plan_contains many of_these features, but leaves the tax preference_for_employer-sponsored coverage intact. Conservatives take the_opposite_approach, relaxing insurance regulations and promoting_more_unfettered_competition, while promoting measures such_as high risk pools as a_fallback for people with health conditions that would exclude_them from non-group_insurance.

As discussion of moving away_from_the_employment-based system continues, not very much attention has been paid_to a_giant question: How_will the public (and voters) feel about such a big_change? Health reformers have learned the hard_way in the past that whatever the appeal of policy proposals_on their merits, they ultimately have to be_acceptable to the public or they will_not fly.

With this in_mind,_we asked people with employment-based insurance a_series_of_questions_on our most_recent tracking