What’s In It For Me?

David Leonhardt observes that when voters contemplate a major health reform initiative they’re bound to ask themselves “what’s in it for me?” and that people may underestimate the benefits of reform because so much of the cost of health care is “hidden” in tax subsidies and automatic payroll deductions:

On the subject of health care reform, most Americans probably don’t have a good answer to the question. And that, obviously, is a problem for the White House and for Democratic leaders in Congress.

Current bills would expand the number of insured — but 90 percent of voters already have insurance. Congressional leaders say the bills would cut costs. But experts are dubious. Instead, they point out that covering the uninsured would cost billions.

So the typical person watching from afar is left to wonder: What will this project mean for me, besides possibly higher taxes?

Leonhardt uses this to argue for tougher versions of the cost-cutting measures that are currently on the table. I would support that, but I doubt it would actually answer the political question he’s raising here. Fortunately, Families USA released a document yesterday that tries to get at some of this and in particular raises the key question of security. Most workers are insured. But one important reason why most workers are insured is that most people from time-to-time in their life wind up making insurance-driven decisions about work and life to make sure they don’t lose their insurance. A big part of the point of shifting up from 90 percent to “everyone” isn’t just to help the ten percent, it’s to help everyone get into a situation where you’re not living a life shaped around the details of the health insurance market.