We all know there is no free lunch. John Stossel explains further how the attitude of expecting 'gimmees' - like health insurance - from employers and government actually contributes to sky-rocket prices.
Why?! Do our employers pay for our food, clothing, or shelter? If they did, why would that be good? Having my health care tied to my boss invites him to snoop into my private health issues, and if I change jobs, I lose coverage.
Insurance burdens us with paperwork, invites cheating, and, worst of all, creates a moral hazard that distorts incentives. The first question people ask a doctor who recommends a test is not "Do I really need that?" but "Does my insurance cover it?" Insurance raises costs by insulating consumers from medicine's real prices.
Suppose you had grocery insurance. With your employer paying 80 percent of the bill, you would fill the cart with lobster and filet mignon. Everything would cost more because demand would rise and supermarkets would stop running sales. Why should they -- when their customers barely care about the price?
Same goes for gov't programs folks. Its not 'the government' that pays for 'it' - its you & me and the IRS takes no prisoners.