[kileywm]

I agree that separating them would help in this regard. We should; however, consider why it was done this way. I can only speculate on the matter, but tend to think it was bundled with payroll for simpler accounting (assuming tax deductible insurance premiums stay intact).

[AnimalMuppet]

Initially, it was bundled with payroll because, during World War II, employers were restricted in their ability to give pay raises to employees. They started buying health insurance as a way of giving a raise without giving a raise, as it were.

It continued because "that's the way it was done" by the time WWII was over.