Ask HN: If you didn't have to worry about healthcare, would you start a company?

Re:Ask HN: If you didn't have to worry about healthcare, wou... by SamAtt on Friday December 04, 2009 @11:26AM (#976587)

I have a friend who is self-employed as a web designer. He pays $269 a month for Health Insurance. That's lower than his car payment, house payment, monthly food bill, etc... In fact, by his own admission it's only $100 more than he spends at Starbucks every month.

Health Insurance is a political issue that pertains to the poor who can't afford many of the things people on this board take for granted (like morning coffee). Anyone who has the means to quit their job and start a company also should have the means to pay for Health Insurance

Also, if this was a huge issue for startups than wouldn't it stand to reason that Canada, the UK, France and others would have thriving Startup industries? Ones that far out pace the U.S.?

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Re:Ask HN: If you didn't have to worry about healthcare, wou... by tptacek on Friday December 04, 2009 @11:55AM (#976661)

No, you're incorrect. Your friend was able to get $269/month health care because he is young and male. But in the US, health insurance isn't guaranteed issue. If you are not young, if you are female, or if you have ever been hospitalized before, it is very possible that you are locked in to employer-provided group coverage.

It happened to us and it happened to other people I know.

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