> Employers, quite rationally and of their own free will, choose to offer health insurance as a benefit because it attracts and retains talent better than other similarly priced incentives. The fact that you're hesitant to take a leave reveals that it's working.
This is false. Offering insurance as compensation started during WWII when wages were frozen by the government. Employers found other ways of attracting workers.
There is also the fact that employer-provided insurance is almost entirely untaxed. A dollar in direct employer insurance is essentially a dollar directly to healthcare spending. If it goes through to the employee, that's reduced to at most $0.70 due to payroll taxes, and often much lower. This provides and incentive for both employers and employees to prefer employer-provided insurance.
Compared to these, the effects you described are negligible.
This is false. Offering insurance as compensation started during WWII when wages were frozen by the government. Employers found other ways of attracting workers.
There is also the fact that employer-provided insurance is almost entirely untaxed. A dollar in direct employer insurance is essentially a dollar directly to healthcare spending. If it goes through to the employee, that's reduced to at most $0.70 due to payroll taxes, and often much lower. This provides and incentive for both employers and employees to prefer employer-provided insurance.
Compared to these, the effects you described are negligible.