In the open thread below commenter Martin illustrates a key benefit of near-universal coverage.
[A] colleague…has wanted to start her own business for a while but wasn’t willing to risk going without insurance and couldn’t find a decent price on the market before. She signed up yesterday with the intention of burning through her vacation in the next 3 months to set up her business and then resigning in Dec if everything goes well. She will pay about what our employee contribution now is (after subsidy assuming she earns a comparable salary in the new business). She’s really excited and scared, but says that this was key to her trying it. Her mom went through a bout with cancer and it basically bankrupted the family because she had no insurance.
Make it your email signature. Write it on facebook wall. The business side of entrepreneurship is hard enough. Add in the constant threat of bankruptcy from one health event and people will keep their crappy jobs for healthcare rather than take a chance on their million dollar idea. Obamacare will turbocharge the small business sector more effectively than any thousand clever tax breaks.
Why conservatives like Obamacare, or shouldPost + Comments (101)