I wonder how this theory calculates for those who have no income. Our tax and welfare systems greatly benefit those with low incomes and place the medical burden on business and the working rich through employment-related taxes. Business and the working rich pay most of the dollar cost of our nation s health care as medical insurance premiums and employment-related taxes. The more someone earns the more that person pays in Medicare taxes. Employees pay 1.45 percent of their earnings as a Medicare tax.
Employers pay an equal amount to match what employees pay.
The self-employed pay 2.9 percent of their earned income. Employers usually pay most of the insurance premiums. Some medical plans pay a portion of medicine costs, but many plans do not. Much of what the governments pay toward health care comes from general taxes, which is paid mostly by business and high-income individuals. In fact, our federal income tax system imposes a much heavier tax on business and the working rich.