{"content":[{"text":"A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD \n by Robert Zimmerman","bbox":{"left":0.07735,"top":0.157272,"width":0.8821169999999999,"height":0.11980300000000002}},{"text":"I \n am far from a wealthy individual. Despite there are consequences for my actions, and \n the wonderful stories you hear about I needed to act to avoid the worst conse- \n filmmakers drinking piiia coladas by the quence. \n swimming pool and having their grapes The state legislators of New York, also \n peeled for them, the movies do not neces- aware of the tragic consequences of not \n sarily make you rich. If I had to define my buying health insurance in advance of ill- \n financial class, where I stand in the great ness, decided in July 1992 simply to outlaw \n rankings of monetary success, I would per- these consequences. As my own State As- \n sonally place myself as lower middle class. semblyman said, “We needed to level the \n In other words, I get by, pay my bills, do playing field, so that the millions of middle \n the creative work I like, and try to live a class people who didn’t have health insur- \n decent life. ance could get it.” \n Being self-employed (a difficult thing to do The subsequent law requires all insurance \n in our modern corporate word), I have had companies to charge everyone the same \n to pay for my own health insurance. When rate, regardless of age, health, sex, or oc- \n I realized I needed to do this, I got out the cupation. It also forbids all health insurance \n yellow pages, made a few phone calls, and companies from refusing anyone a policy. In \n found an insurance company that had a other words, not only are we all created \n policy 1 liked and was reasonably priced. equal, we are all created identical, and the \n Because this is a form of insurance, I did this insurance companies are required to make \n at the very beginning of my self-employ- believe that there are no differences be- \n ment. I realized that no company would give tween us. \n me a policy if I waited until I was sick. Many Now, according to supporters of the bill, \n people in our society do not do this, and health insurance will be available for every- \n when they do become ill, they cannot get an one at the same cost. According to the Sta.te \n insurance company to accept them. As Insurance Superintendent Salvatore Curi- \n tragic as this is, it is the consequence of their ale, “people might have to pay alittle more, \n own decision to save the cost of insurance but it won’t be a significant amount more.” \n when they were healthy. Within six months of its passage, 10 of the \n I did not want to be placed in this situa- 18 major health insurance companies in \n tion. The whole idea behind insurance is to New York decided to leave the state. Some \n obtain it in advance of disaster. I made the decided to refuse to take any additional \n calls, I found a policy, and I paid the bills. customers, while others canceled all poli- \n I recognized that in a truly free society, cies. Of the remaining companies, all have \n said that they will have to increase their \n fees, doubling or tripling them. \n Mr. Zimmerman is a featurejlm producer in \n New York City. My own insurance company decided to \n 34 \n LICENSED TO UNZ.ORG \n ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED","bbox":{"left":0.076921,"top":0.314393,"width":0.850745,"height":0.6814260000000001}}],"images_bbox":[],"images_bbox_not_text_overlap":[]}