One of the criticisms of the health care bills passed by the House and Senate is that people who already have health insurance may have to pay for coverage provided to the uninsured. "I don't want to pay for somebody else's health care" is a common complaint.
This complaint resonated with some Massachusetts voters in the weeks before Tuesday's special election. Massachusetts already has a state-mandated health insurance program (Health Connector) and those voters saw themselves having to pay for the uninsured in their own and in other states.
The "I don't want to pay for somebody else's health care" mantra tells me these people do not understand much about the bills approved in Congress.
They also do not understand much about insurance.
People who say, "I don't want to pay for somebody else's health care" will be surprised to learn: you already do. That's because it's insurance, and that's the way insurance works.
Here is a specific example from an unnamed (but real)New England couple, both in their early 60s and in generally good health.
The couple's total health care bill was $15,975 in 2008. Their insurance premiums were $14,575 (84% paid by an employer) and they paid $1,400 in co-pays themselves.
Where did all that money go? Here's an accounting.
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