"There are also other factors, for example, more companies are forcing workers to pay a larger share of their healthcare costs, which means higher out-of-pocket expenses."
Brock you got that right. Different stuff I never had to pay for before and it is not going to get any better.
There are two classes of employees in the USA. Those who have to pay for their health insurance and those who don't. If the workers are unionized they aren't being forced. It was negotiated. If the workers are not unionized and are employees at will then you can say it is forced and they probably always had to pay it. Most of those who have to pay for it are in private industry. Most of those who don't have to pay for it are government employees of some kind.
Years ago when I began work we had to pay 1/2 our health insurance premiums. Then Union/Management negotiations got the employer to pay it all. Everybody who got this was fortunate that they didn't have to pay taxes on this benefit but it was tax free. (And it still is tax free so stop complaining.) Everybody ended up with more money and benefits without a larger tax liability.
This is routine in all government and public school and public college jobs. It is negotiated through union contracts and the taxpayer pays for it.
That's why you keep reading about state employees, local government employees, school teachers and college teachers pensions being in trouble. There is a public pension crisis throughout the country and it all was negotiated and approved by our elected leaders at the levels governing the workers.
Bob
Last edited: