Comments on: Health Insurance vs. the Minimum Wage http://healthblog.ncpa.org/health-insurance-vs-the-minimum-wage/ Health Care Policy and Reform Insights | NCPA Thu, 24 May 2012 02:53:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Private Krankenversicherung http://healthblog.ncpa.org/health-insurance-vs-the-minimum-wage/comment-page-1/#comment-39272 Private Krankenversicherung Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:33:46 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/health-insurance-vs-the-minimum-wage/#comment-39272 Excelent blog and comments. Thanks and best regards from Germany Private Krankenversicherung Excelent blog and comments. Thanks and best regards from Germany Private Krankenversicherung

]]> By: David Cohen http://healthblog.ncpa.org/health-insurance-vs-the-minimum-wage/comment-page-1/#comment-14579 David Cohen Sun, 26 Aug 2007 02:11:18 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/health-insurance-vs-the-minimum-wage/#comment-14579 One thing that's happening is that the minimum wage forces the total compensation mix to move from untaxed to taxed. Wages are subject to Social Security and Medicare taxes. Benefits are not. So, for each $1.00 spent by the employer on health insurance, the employee receives $1.00 worth of health insurance. For every $1.00 spent by the employer on wages, the employee receives approximately 85 cents and the government receives 15 cents. (I'm ignoring the SS tax cap, since we're talking about minimum wage workers.) One thing that’s happening is that the minimum wage forces the total compensation mix to move from untaxed to taxed. Wages are subject to Social Security and Medicare taxes. Benefits are not. So, for each $1.00 spent by the employer on health insurance, the employee receives $1.00 worth of health insurance. For every $1.00 spent by the employer on wages, the employee receives approximately 85 cents and the government receives 15 cents. (I’m ignoring the SS tax cap, since we’re talking about minimum wage workers.)

]]> By: Dr. Bob http://healthblog.ncpa.org/health-insurance-vs-the-minimum-wage/comment-page-1/#comment-14256 Dr. Bob Tue, 21 Aug 2007 18:40:46 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/health-insurance-vs-the-minimum-wage/#comment-14256 A fascinating assessment. A fascinating assessment.

]]> By: David Lenihan http://healthblog.ncpa.org/health-insurance-vs-the-minimum-wage/comment-page-1/#comment-14247 David Lenihan Tue, 21 Aug 2007 16:12:12 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/health-insurance-vs-the-minimum-wage/#comment-14247 good clear thinking......as usual. good clear thinking……as usual.

]]> By: StillaScot http://healthblog.ncpa.org/health-insurance-vs-the-minimum-wage/comment-page-1/#comment-14223 StillaScot Tue, 21 Aug 2007 02:17:15 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/health-insurance-vs-the-minimum-wage/#comment-14223 <p>The negative relationship between higher minimum wage levels and lower rates of health insurance is well-established. See Baker's paper, for example:</p> <p>Yet the reverse relation between health insurance coverage and overall income level is much more strongly established. So a rise in income at the lowest end of the pay scale hurts health insurance coverage for an already small percentage of the numbers who benefit from the pay increase. You claim that we do not know the absolute numbers - but we do know that this group has the smallest percentage coverage. Still I do agree that relief for employers who provide health insurance is a useful addendum to this increase in the minimum wage.</p> The negative relationship between higher minimum wage levels and lower rates of health insurance is well-established. See Baker's paper, for example:

Yet the reverse relation between health insurance coverage and overall income level is much more strongly established. So a rise in income at the lowest end of the pay scale hurts health insurance coverage for an already small percentage of the numbers who benefit from the pay increase. You claim that we do not know the absolute numbers – but we do know that this group has the smallest percentage coverage. Still I do agree that relief for employers who provide health insurance is a useful addendum to this increase in the minimum wage.

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