This is an inappropriate article for HN.
And its terrible reasoning. Existing law already provides for cobra, giving them an 18 month window of coverage in which they can retain your employer's insurance (by paying the full premiums). That's more than enough time to validate an idea and secure insurance in the new company, or fail and spend 6 months finding a new job. Or if you are an engineer, 1 month finding a new job.
Personally, I think bootstrapping, taking no outside investment at all is also a completely reasonable model (and often ends up with a more sustainable business, and can be executed by people that lack the sales skills to get investment)
If you are bootstrapping? 18 months is not a reasonable period of time to get something to the point where you can get group coverage. (In most states, to get group coverage, you need at least two employees on that insurance.)
also, I think it's quite valid to support yourself doing contract work. same problem; if you don't want a body shop to take half your pay, well, you need two employees before you can get group coverage.
Contractors in the US get hit with a fairly sizable self-employment tax. This tax would no doubt go up to fund any sort of universal health insurance.
Regardless, I don't see the need to 'scratch your entrepreneurial itch' as a valid reason to stick you neighbor with your medical bills.
Problem is that with two employees, you can get a group plan, and yeah,you've gotta pay your five hundred bucks per person a month or what have you, it's not cheap, but you can buy insurance.
My problem is that two employee minimum. I mean, am I that much lower of a risk because I work at a company with two employees, rather than just one? sounds unlikely.
Doors opened means started development or launched? If after you started development, how long were you in development?
"Regardless, I don't see the need to 'scratch your entrepreneurial itch' as a valid reason to stick you neighbor with your medical bills."
What if you change your statement to:
-->I don't see the need to 'educate children' as a valid reason to stick your neighbor with your school bills.
-->I don't see the need to 'protect your life' as a valid reason to stick your neighbor with your police bills.
The reason the government provides these services is because it is in the common interest.
I'm sure if you think a little while you can come up with some reasons why having universal health care might be in our collective best interest.
Incidentally, do you pay for your own police force, or are you taking money from your neighbors to pay for your property-owning itch?
If so, there are many cases where a founder or their family member has a pre-existing condition that makes them uninsurable. If someone loses the genetic lottery and has a severe case of asthma it can greatly change their calculus. Would you advise someone to start a company if they knew that in 12 months they'd have to hit it big or give up due to the prospect of future medical bills?
Unfortunately, you can't comment on his blog, which makes it even worse. Now people feel like they need to post their political views on HN. Not good IMHO.