AND GIVEN THE GOOD HEALTH OF THOSE WHO GET SUCH PLANS...:

Economists believe something that on its face sounds absolutely bizarre to a normal human being: Obamacare's tax on expensive health insurance will give Americans a pay raise.

Here's the argument: Economic theory predicts that companies have a set amount they're willing to pay a worker, given her specific talents and skills. Under this theory, companies are agnostic to whether they spend that money on a salary, a health plan, maybe a gym subsidy, or even a free puppy. What's important is attracting the best workers, and companies will use that money however is necessary in order to get those workers and keep them happy.

"Employers are thinking, 'What wage do I have to pay to get a worker?'" says Katherine Baicker, a health economist at Harvard University. "They're indifferent if a dollar goes to health insurance or wages or nice office space."

Tweet   @brothersjudd