Open Enrollment

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

Just a quick check to see who else might be in the "that equates to about a 3% paycut" mindset with their benefits open enrollment this year.

[ghaverkamp]

My plan isn't; my contribution is going up $4/mo. One of my coworkers with a pricier plan and family coverage was griping about a pretty big increase this year. (In his case, it will likely just cancel out the bulk of his raise, as it has each of the last several years.)

[Fubar]

What's a raise?

[CoarsegoldKid]

Everyone should be so lucky.

[mbelectric]

What's a raise?

 

Exactly.

 

Last six years, any raises in salary levels have gone to Health and Welfare..Nothin' to see on the check..And our local is still runnin' in the red. Like way behind, each year passes, we get further behind. And I won't even get into the Pension side of things. Anything wrong with a decent retirement? I guess not for the working man.

 

Yeah, yeah, I'm just happy to be working..just not happy to be working at making fat cats richer.

 

How much is enough?

 

Flame away capitalists.

 

MB>

[MotorinLA]

Switched plans for better health care coverage... Ziiing! Pay an additional $282.00 per month. Ouch!

 

At least it comes out pre-tax, I guess that is a plus...

[Silver Surfer/AKAButters]

I love the way that my company always presents these as, "enhancements" to our plan. Less for more.

Geeez!

 

Still very thankful I have good coverage.

[Bob Palin]

What are benefits?

[upflying]

So what happened to the promise that the cost of health care would be going down?

[notacop]

So what happened to the promise that the cost of health care would be going down?

[russell_bynum]

So what happened to the promise that the cost of health care would be going down?

 

LOL!

 

Only the govt would propose to make something cheaper by making it more expensive. (and only an idiot would believe that it would work that way)

[CoarsegoldKid]

For the last 40 years that I have bought health care the costs have gone up year over year. This year I fully suspect an 85 dollar increase per month for a total of 885 bucks for wife and I, very high deductible and 30 dollar office visit copays. I would like to see it all go down. I never thought it would. Employees need or expect raises, don't you want one. So it all goes up. Anyway the new health care system voted in this year and voted out next year wasn't to take effect(only one provision took effect this year) until 2014. There is plenty of time for insurance companies and health care professionals to get salary raises and higher rates. So my and your prediction will likely come to pass. Health care costs will go up. Now then, what are you going to do.

[John Ranalletta]

This just in...

 

Judge allows states' healthcare suit to proceed.

 

Not sure this makes a whit of difference for premium costs. There are fewer and fewer people who are paying premiums who will still need services; and, that cost has to be spread either via taxes or premiums.

[MotorinLA]

So what happened to the promise that the cost of health care would be going down?

 

It is going down for all the employers, who are now passing more and more of the cost on to its employees...

[Quinn]

My health insurance plan for the coming year has greatly reduced the number of approved physicians. All the ones I use are now "out of network" and will require a higher co-payment. Oh, and the cost has gone up as well. So basically, it's the usual--more money for less coverage.

 

I don't understand why the medical industry is separate from the bounds of normal inflation. Why is it always, year after year, increasing at such a higher rate? Are salaries increasing at expoential rates? Are there runaway price increases in medical equipement? Drugs? Support staff? Doctors who speak english? Or is it just the insurance industry wanting to cover other segment loses by gouging medical insurance participants?

 

----

 

 

[Mrs. Caddis]

Jeez, It is only October and you are getting you plan info already! We usually see ours around the last week of November and need to make plan choices by the first week in December....

[mbelectric]

Bob, if you expect a real answer, it ain't gonna happen here on this forum. Rules (politics) prohibit a real answer.

 

In the meantime, relax. We've got an election to get through. With all the money spent on misleading ad's, we could have provided medical care for thousands.

 

MB>

 

 

[CoarsegoldKid]

it's the usual--more money for less coverage.

 

I don't understand why the medical industry is separate from the bounds of normal inflation. Why is it always, year after year, increasing at such a higher rate?

Older people require more care. More costs. Really I didn't make that up. I just haven't fallen into that mold. Yet. In five more years my coverage will be over 2000 dollars per month according to the cost tables.