In the old days companies thought they had multiple reasons to create great health plans: It gave them a competitive advantage for attracting the best employees, it meant that their employees could focus on work even when a loved one was sick, and it let upper management feel happily paternalistic about providing the best for their people.

None of those feel valid anymore. Companies figure they should provide the cheapest health insurance plan that doesn't make them so completely out of line with their competitors that they can't draw workers.

They (and everyone else—especially things like cell phone plans) also take delight in making things extra complicated. They do it in the name of "choice," but they also know that most people will end up accidentally paying for things that they're not going to use, meaning more money in the company's pockets.

And, if there's anything worse than deal with that sort of crap, it's gotta be dealing with that sort of crap when you're sick.