Issue 410 Healthcare and out of work activities September 3, 2014

Here we question if employers should pay for incidents and injuries that happen outside of work.  Some may say no, and others may say yes.  There is a difference of opinion on this issue and thus warrants a discussion.

Those opposed:  Here, we have the group that opposes employers paying for healthcare beyond injuries and sickness that occurs on the job.  Their reasoning is that because your injury was caused outside of work, the employer is not responsible for your health.  Example, you break your leg in a skiing accident.  As such that broken leg will not be the responsibility of your employer as you did not break your leg on the job.  Another more extreme example might be contracting cancer.  The cancer (if not caused by hazardous chemicals on the job) will not be covered by the health insurance your employer provided as they did not cause it to happen within your body.  However it is important to note that people within this group disagree, as things like cancer they may make an exception too along with other catastrophic injuries and diseases.

Those in favor:  Those who want to keep the status quo say that the employer is protecting his workers.  Each of the employers’ workers is an asset and thus must be protected so that the employer can continue to keep them effective and avoid having to replace valuable workers whose knowledge and experience is irreplaceable.  So here the employer will pay for nearly all injuries or sickness whether it occurs on the job or not.

Conclusion:  From my standpoint both sides have just arguments.  Why should an employer pay for the recklessness of his employees who do dangerous activities like skydiving or snowboarding and the like?  But they should cover the basics like catastrophic and other diseases if given the opportunity and the means.  So what is the balance here?  In my point of view, that balance is any injury or disease contracted on the job must be covered along with any catastrophic health care incident like cancer and car accidents.  On the other hand, any injury like broken arms and legs done because of reckless behavior will become optional to the employer to cover because these activities are the employee putting themselves in danger.   But none of this should be mandated as it is really up to the employer to decide.  In a real society with freedoms, the government cannot mandate one type of healthcare being covered over another, or ordering a business to cover health care at all.  Thus let the employer and employees decide what health care coverage if any they shall receive, for it is their business and no one else’s.