Think there's a worker shortage now? Just wait until we finally get universal health insurance!

[LaMouffette]

(I said, gleefully)! The only reason millions of Americans are staying in their jobs is for the health insurance (if they are lucky enough to have employer-provided health insurance).

There will be a mass exodus once some form of single-payer-Medicare-for-All-national-health-insurance is finally put into place and people feel it's safe for them to strike out on their own with that business idea they've been longing to attempt.

Plenty of people will remain in their jobs because they are still wary of the job insecurity that being on your own can bring. Or they may not have any desire to have their own business, or may actually like their jobs, or are in a profession in which they cannot be self-employed. But with more workers choosing self-employment, the ones who remain will benefit (hopefully) because employers will have to treat them better with higher wages and better work conditions (you would think, anyway).

So, bring on the Great Resignation, I say! It's time for businesses to start forking over more of their profits to the workers who make those profits possible. And sure, they'll try to pass the cost of increasing wages onto the consumer, but that can only go so far before they out-price themselves and will be forced to accept a lower profit margin.

So that's my totally inexpert take on the worker shortage. Being self-employed for a couple of decades myself, I wish everyone out there who is embarking on their own new business all the very best of luck in your new endeavor!

[LymphocyteLover]

1. Conservatives are still complaining about immigrants

but funny how it’s not about them taking our jobs anymore. Hmmm…

[LymphocyteLover]

2. We're seeing a general strike right now

Link to tweet

?s=20

[Irish_Dem]

3. This is probably why the rich don't want universal health care. They lose a way to control workers.

[Sherman A1]

6. Agreed

Even though it would be cheaper for them most likely, the loss of control is a factor to be sure.

[Irish_Dem]

9. Exactly, it was always puzzling why they hated universal health care since it would save them money.

But yes we can see how it is a control factor over labor.

[Steelrolled]

7. I think it is just tribalism. You stand with your people.

[Hotler]

15. Exactly, Single payer health care would empower workers. And the thought of that

drives the rich crazy. It's worse than a union to them. With single payer health care employees can feel free to tell their boss to shove their shitty job and shitty pay and go look else where. Some employers are more fair and respectful than others.

[Irish_Dem]

16. Yep, employees with freedom and mobility threaten the status quo of the wealthy.

[madville]

4. I could realistically semi-retire now but I love my insurances at work

Health plan costs me $0 a month, along with $0 5x annual salary life insurance, $0 premium for dental, vision and disability also. I am a retired military reservist so I get low cost TRICARE ($50ish a month right now) at age 60, my plan is to work until then and switch to that.

[Hortensis]

5. Well, the ACA or similar state program is available in most states now.

That's allowed millions to leave jobs they were tied to, whether they wanted to start new businesses or move back home near family.

No doubt you're right that more will start their own businesses as universal coverage is implemented, but I doubt it will lead to a serious worker shortage. After all, individual policies were always available, and many entrepreneurs go bare while getting their businesses up and running. And of course business has been pushing workers into "self-employed" uninsured subcontractor positions for a long time now.

But this all leads to a guess that where shortages do occur, some of those new businesses are liable to spring up to fill them.

[LaMouffette]

14. The ACA is what makes it possible for me to be self-employed. When I first started, I could afford

individual insurance, even though it was much, much higher than employer-provided health insurance. But over the years, it went up and up and up until, like you said, I had to "go bare" for a few years until the ACA was enacted.

However, the ACA annual earnings cap means that I have to either limit my income or make double what I do now in order to afford individual health insurance. I choose to limit my income rather than pay the ridiculously high monthly premium of $800 a month. Fortunately, a near-spartan existence is fine by me, but others likely feel differently!

If Biden and the Dems in Congress would just quietly raise the ACA annual earnings cap by $20,000 a year for the next few years, a whole bunch more of us would qualify and be able to strike out on our own or find more satisfying jobs.

[CrispyQ]

8. A lot of older people would retire early if not for health insurance premiums.

Pay off your mortgage. Retire early. Pay as much for health insurance as you used to pay for your mortgage. WTF?

[MichMan]

10. People starting their own businesses will find it very difficult to hire people for the same reasons

Unless they are a one man band, they are going to face the same struggles all employers will. Higher costs of hiring people, higher costs of materials/supplies, and not able to pass the costs on. All leading to lower profit margins for them as well.

[LaMouffette]

11. Good point! But maybe, going from worker to business owner, they will be more fair-minded toward

the people they hire and pay decent wages and provide better working conditions.

[MichMan]

12. Perhaps

Or hiring undocumented employees under the table with no benefits

[Alexander Of Assyria]

13. Universal health care in Canada. No rush to the exits from private or civil service jobs.

Not that it wouldn’t happen in America where private big business bears the expense of a middleman insurance industry as a job incentive…then used to lower salaries.

Why is there a middleman??

[Hoyt]

17. Unfortunately, M4A is way down the road. In meantime, there is ACA.

[Aristus]

18. I don't agree entirely.

I think a National Health Insurance Plan will lead to a renaissance of small business. Small business owners, no longer faced with the choice of offering prospective employees a competitive salary, or health insurance, but not both, will be able to expand and to hire more employees like never before once the burden of providing health insurance is taken off of them.

Of course, the big, piratical corporations know this, and that's why they're fighting national health tooth and nail. They know it won't lead to Communism; it will lead to improved capitalism.

[ShazamIam]

19. For years I thought it would benefit employers to not worry about health insurance for their

employees, along with the health insurance came directives from the insurance companies about who could be hired depending on their health status.