John McCain's Terrifying Health Care Plan

Here's me, getting my annual pelvic exam, courtesy of the free market.
$136/month premium, $3,000 deductible, and a $30 co-pay.

Yeah. I had no idea how horrendous it was. McCain's policies would essentially attempt to dismantle employee-based health care by making employees pay taxes on the assessed monetary value of their benefits. The implications of this move are enormous.

First, taxing people's employer-paid premiums would discourage young, healthy employees from enrolling in employer-sponsored care. After all, who wants more money taken out of their paycheck? Instead, these folks would enter the individual insurance market, where -- if they're lucky enough to be healthy and free from pre-existing conditions -- they'll find an abundance cheaper premiums and shittier coverage.

Second, with the healthy folks pulled out of the employer-sponsored pool, the business will see the its insurance costs rise. And the more expensive it is to insure your employees, the less likely you are to do it.

This is exploding onto the blogosphere because scholars from Columbia, Harvard, Purdue, and Michigan have released a joint study today which projects that, under the McCain plan, 20 million people will lose their employer-sponsored coverage.

Look, I don't imagine this could ever get through a Democratic congress. But this proposal is real. This is the health care plan being put forth by one of only two viable candidates in this election.

Thanks to Ann at Feministing for these knee-knocking, evening-destroying links. My above commentary is largely derived from these folks' pieces.

Ann
Ezra Klein
Bob Herbert
Image from yourpelvicexam.com