In the US, health care is what binds employees to their owners^w employers.

If you are not on a corporate group plan, you had better not need heath insurance, because the insurers will drop you like a hot rock when they can't be sure of turning a profit on you.

It has traditionally been a means of keeping middle aged employees or those with families from walking out when they are abused. Health care is tied to the job. Heh, at least until the job kills you...

Now that the jobs are going offshore, the slaves^w employees are free. Free to live on unemployment until it runs out. Free to live without health care. Free to be evicted when house payments or rent is not paid. All the usual freedoms of the poor.

I think it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better.