Health care costs are directly related to our economy (duh)

When we talk about our health care system and the uninsured, we often talk about them in philosophical or even moral terms. But for the moment, let's set aside personal beliefs about the kind of society we want and just focus on why this issue should be important to business.

• First, the lack of health insurance reduces productivity, within the workforce and in the broader context of our national economy. Research tells us that people without health insurance have more health problems than do people with coverage. When people are not able to work to full capacity, business suffers -- and our tax burden increases as we care for those who cannot participate in the labor force.

• Second, high numbers of uninsured cause financial instability in our health system. Those who are uninsured -- or underinsured -- tend to seek care only when their situations become dire, often ending up in hospital emergency rooms. In Michigan, as elsewhere, this is reflected in the increased rate of uncompensated care assumed by hospitals, physicians and other providers. The rapid growth of this cost destabilizes the entire health system and limits the availability of care for all, even those with insurance. It also threatens the solvency of health care providers, often major employers in their communities.

• Third, health insurance is an issue of global competitiveness. As auto companies can attest, many of our competitors are headquartered in countries that provide universal coverage. In the United States, most health insurance for those under 65 is funded through employment. U.S. auto manufacturers estimate that $1,500 of the cost of every car is related to health care benefits. This cost significantly affects the ability of U.S. companies to compete in the global market.

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