“”companies could sweeten fringe benefits, and so began to offer life and health insurance.””
EXCEPT at that time the employers offered Major Medical only and it kept people from going to the doctors for hangnails and colds. It should have stayed that way.
“EXCEPT at that time the employers offered Major Medical only and it kept people from going to the doctors for hangnails and colds. It should have stayed that way.”
I’m old enough to remember when my employer only offered major medical (l980’s) (then along came HBO’s and that seemed to pave the way for health care expenses to skyrocket). Of course, during the time of major medical insurance the doctor visit was like $35, not $150 as it is today. The government can be held directly responsible for that hike... their “negotiating” (manipulation) of provider compensation for Medicare/Medicaid caused the upward skewing of rates for everyone else.