Text 10783, 80 rader
Skriven 2013-10-16 22:37:30 av Janis Kracht (1:261/38)
  Kommentar till text 10765 av Mark Hofmann (1:261/1304)
Ärende: Re: Obama Scare Premiums
================================
Hi Mark!

>> If you have coverage now through your employer, nothing will change - the
>> afforable health care act won't touch it. There are a few additional
>> mandates, but they are trivial...

> Correct, I can stay with my employers health plan - which will be double the
> cost of what it is right now, with half the benefits.

"Welcome To My World" <tm> <g> as far as benefits go.  Like I said earlier, our
health insurance is about at the level of catastrophe insurance.  It's been
like this for a while.

Seriously, that is how the small company we work for has dealt with the cost of
health insurance for quite a long time.  The company is in Ohio.. we're in NY.

>This is because all the government mandates on health insurance companies have
> forced them to drastically raise their premiums.  (free yearly physical, kids
> covered until 26 years old, free birth control, etc..etc.)  They aren't going
> to eat those additional costs.

Not over here.. those "mandates" have not affected the cost of our insurance at
all.

>> If your employer is ending their coverage and forcing you into a health
>> exchange without compensating you financially for the loss of coverage,
>> which was _previously_ part of your compensation, then they are stealing
>> from you.

> Companies can take away anything they want from an employee.  If they want to
>cut someone's pay, they don't have to ask anyone, they can just do it.  If the
> employee doesn't like this, they are free to find another job.

That's exactly right.. and those companies will be left with second-rate
employees.. the dregs..

> Not only has the premiums gone way up, but almost all hospitals in Maryland
> have laid-off at least 5-10% of their staff.  Funny how that doesn't get any
> media attention, but it is a fact.

This makes no sense as far as being related to cost of insurance.. First you're
saying that premiums are being doubled (i.e. the cost will be passed on to the
insured).. Then you're saying that hosp. staff is being cut supposedly because
the hospital can afford to pay their employees wages.. Come on :( :(

I have to wonder where you are getting this information from.. Being a member
of the "health field" means didly if you have no idea how health insurance
works..

Just an aside...Ron and I worked very closely with the medical/hospital
industry writing the software that most hospitals use for transmitting data to
Insurance companies so it's not like we have no idea exactly how it all works
<g>.

>> It's just like if they cut your pay, if they do this....

>I have been getting pay cuts for almost 4 years in a row now.  Not a pay cut a
> most would consider, but I look at the bottom line.

> Wage Increase vs. increased cost of benefits + cost of living, etc.

Understand that one, Mark, seriously.. we've seen our wages "drop" in the same
way.

> Sad thing is the job market is still stale, so most are just happy to not be
> laid-off.

Yes, true.

Btw, we just took a look, and in the Baltimore Business Journal it's reported
that a 40 year old non-smoker can get a silver plan in MD for as low as $208.00
a month.

Geez, we're paying $610.00 a month :)

Take care,
Janis

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