[compiler-guy]

It matters in the present context because we are talking about how employers would respond if employees didn’t expect health insurance as part of their job. If employers stopped paying health insurance, then it is extremely likely that they would not pass the savings on to employees, but to use it to maintain the business.

[bruce511]

Clearly there are all manner of outcomes if employers stopped paying for health insurance. Generalising is fruitless.

Yes some companies will optimize for profit - some already do that, amazon makes a killing while warehouse staff are low paid. Uber makes everyone a contractor specifically to avoid benefits and so on.

Other companies pay a living wage, and cost a "cost to company" for each employee. These may choose to pay the benefit as cash.

Where I live the tax benefit of health care applies to companies and individuals alike. Some companies have mandatory health cover, others have optional health cover, others have no health cover. Since there is no tax implication it's not hard for prospective employees to compare one with another.

Ultimately, some companies pay low wages, some pay high wages, that's somewhat tangential to health cover or not.

Speculating on what most employers would "most likely do" is, well, just speculation[1]

[1] large companies like amazon known for screwing employees? Yeah, I'm with you there - but I don't think most employers are like that.

[mrtranscendence]

> Yeah, I'm with you there - but I don't think most employers are like that.

The leadership at my employer talks big about how much they care about their employees, and indeed, the vacation and benefits are very good. Yet even in the face of record profits they gave me a 1.5% raise this year, despite the 8.5% inflation. I'll believe that they'd pass benefits package savings onto me when I see it.