[f]or the majority of Americans, the largest portion of their health expenses are covered by their employer. At last estimates approximately 58% of Americans get their health insurance through their employers. The average cost of premiums per individual was $3,515 in 2009 whereas for employers (particularly major employers such as GE or IBM) the cost for providing health insurance to employees was $9,860. Thus, the burden of directly paying for insurance for individuals primarily falls on the employer community. JXEKSW2QWPDF

Health care costs move from the individual, micro-level, all the way to the final purchaser (or reimburser) of health care the American government. Each time the expense is passed on to a new body in this perverse economic system, it grows more costly and/or inefficient.