Maybe a perception that if health benefits aren't part of a total compensation package holding onto employees will be harder/more expensive?

I just don't understand why big businesses aren't pushing to get healthcare off of their list of things to do.

Big businesses (I'm thinking 1,000+ employees) have benefits administrators tasked with the headache. It's smaller ones where the CEO is also the HR/benefits administrator and has to deal with it.

Company-supported health insurance is one way to keep employees from jumping ship if they don't have something to go to immediately. If your kid needs the pricier insulin every day, do you work the extra hour or two that the boss asks or do you tell them where to shove it? Probably the former. Also, when negotiating, employers can keep salaries down if they include access to health insurance at a somewhat lower rate than what the insurers charge to individuals. How much is a big business's buying power to keep overall rates low and how much is the employer actually paying out? Most employees in big businesses may never know. I'm paying about $35 a month for health insurance and my employer is paying the rest. How much is the rest? Well, my employer also owns one of the largest hospital/medical systems in the state, and they're one of the largest employers in the state, so I would be surprised if they paid anywhere near what I would pay for my health insurance if I bought it myself. It's a nice benefit for me, but it also lets my employer point to the hundreds of dollars a month I'm not paying for insurance if I point to the hundreds of dollars a month below average salary that they're paying me for my job.

ETA: I would love universal, government health care. The above is just why I think big businesses aren't pushing for it.

{{amyth}} I'm so sorry to hear the bad health news, but very happy that you have so many good people to support you.

Laura, my condolences in your losses.

My sympathies to those of you fighting with your insurance providers. So far, I've had no major problems and I think my plan is pretty good (the state of WI is very good about managing these sort of things, we have one of the best employee retirement funds in the country), but I still live in the fear of something catastrophic happening. While insurance will cover bills, if I'm out of work for any significant time then long term disability and income continuation kicks in, which is nice, but at 75% of my income, I may as well be bankrupt. I'd have to sell everything.

I'm sorry to hear of all the woes that the world is dumping on the Buffistas. Wish there was something I could do that would help.

For Sophia, you might like this: 500 Years of Correcting "Historical" Halloween Costumes. One comment: Do you know where I can get a "Slutty Plague Victim" costume? Asking for a friend.

Just catching up after the wrong few days off the board...

{{amyth}} my dear friend and nearly-name-twin, I'm assuming you're at the hospital associated with your employer? In which case you're basically down the hall from me.. please let me know if you're up for (or even allowed to) guests or visitors or secret Buffista contraband? I'm at the Starbucks downstairs from the cancer hospital at least daily, and I will HAPPILY sneak some extra time onto all my coffee breaks to bring you some joy and relief. Wishing you all the strength right now.

Amych, info insent to your contact info.

separately, msbelle, I'm in favor of either or both of a card exchange and a charity gift; and TOTALLY in favor of you not having to manage a whole exchange in the middle of all the life stuff you have this season -- and (as I never say it enough), great gratitudes for all the work you always put into it!

I like the card and charity combo, too

I'd definitely be in for group charity, and possibly even new year cards?!?!?! (I will never get it together for cards before that....)

New Year's cards are fabulous! Secular/cross-holiday for those of us who don't really christmas, plus handy for the procrastination-oriented!