View Full Version : Health Care
FreightTrain
10-22-2008, 06:12 PM
Is it just me or does anyone else think BOTH Candidates and the Federal Government should keep their dirty paws out of health care. Obama thinks he can give health care to every American and if an employer doesn't want to offer it he will fine them. Gee I wonder how many layoffs that will cause. :rolleyes:
McCain wants to hand out 5k tax credits to everyone that doesn't have health care and then he wants to turn around and tax the folks that do have health care. My employer spends 22k a year on my health care benefits. I'll be damned if I'm going to have to pay taxes on 22k when I haven't been to the doctor in over a year. If thats the case I should be able to cancel my benefits and have my employer just pay me the 22k in cash and I will come out $21,850 ahead. :rolleyes:
Granted the current system isn't perfect, but I don't think either plan is going to make things better. Health Care is not a right and I think it's a privilege. If your current employer doesn't offer health insurance and you need it than its your responsibility. In my opinion you have several options. You can pay for health care out of your own pocket. Or you can better yourself inorder to get a better job that provides health care.
What would national health care do to City, County, and State Governments? It's no secret that none of these pay a whole lot of money, but they make up for it in the benefits they offer their employees. I have several family members that work for some form of government simply because of the benefits. If the Government offered national health care there would be no incentive to work for the lower pay.
01WhiteCobra
10-22-2008, 06:20 PM
Want to tell me what sector of industry has posted the largest gains year to date?
FreightTrain
10-22-2008, 08:29 PM
Want to tell me what sector of industry has posted the largest gains year to date?
I'm going to take a stab in the dark and pick Health Care.
$22k a year on health benefits seems to be a HUGE stretch. I can get my own personal policy for $100/month. A 4 person family can get a policy for $400/month. I dont see how on earth they can pay $22k a year.
FreightTrain
10-22-2008, 10:27 PM
$22k a year on health benefits seems to be a HUGE stretch. I can get my own personal policy for $100/month. A 4 person family can get a policy for $400/month. I dont see how on earth they can pay $22k a year.
It sounds high to me also but my company swears thats what it cost them. They have it written in black and white on the employment website for job seekers. I will say it's some damn good insurance. Zero deductibles and it only cost me $10 to go to the doctor. As long as I use their mail in prescription drug plan my drugs are free. What I don't get is if you opt to not take the insurance they only pay you $200 a month. I'd cancel my insurane if they raised it to like a 1k a month. :)
Geor!
10-22-2008, 10:36 PM
It sounds high to me also but my company swears thats what it cost them. They have it written in black and white on the employment website for job seekers. I will say it's some damn good insurance. Zero deductibles and it only cost me $10 to go to the doctor. As long as I use their mail in prescription drug plan my drugs are free. What I don't get is if you opt to not take the insurance they only pay you $200 a month. I'd cancel my insurane if they raised it to like a 1k a month. :)
Something tells me the union is behind it and might get a slice of that pie. That is an astronomical price for insurance.
Then again, I am an idiot and we all know that unions always keep the employees in mind.
But 22K? Come the fuck on.
Chopped54
10-23-2008, 07:12 AM
Is the 22k figure your healthcare, or benefits as a whole that they contribute to each employee annually?
A lot of jobs have it laid out like that, and includes your PTO, your sick days, bereavement pay, 401k, healthcare at the highest levels....
I started thinking about it...and it is possible. My girlfriends dad pays $400 per month for his family plan. He has a great insurance policy with very low deductibles and lots of prescriptions are free. Usually an employer pays 3/4 of the policy and the employee pays the remaining 1/4. So if his policy is $1600/mo, that comes out to $19,200. A bit better policy as Freightrain describes....it could be possible.
I just find it amazing they spend more on benefits than some people make as a salary.
Bubbaearl
10-23-2008, 07:53 AM
our policy through the school district is right at 700 a month , teachers have lousy damn benefits . they pay a whopping 50 bucks of it.
Hmbre97
10-23-2008, 07:57 AM
$22k a year on health benefits seems to be a HUGE stretch. I can get my own personal policy for $100/month. A 4 person family can get a policy for $400/month. I dont see how on earth they can pay $22k a year.
Where can you get a personal policy for $100/month? I think my job pays 60% or 70% of my policy and I still pay almost $300/month for just me and the wife. It's getting worse this year now too. I currently just have co pays. Next year, they're going to a deductible, then 80/20 system which is going to cost me a good bit more out of pocket. :mad:
mikeb
10-23-2008, 10:30 AM
Where can you get a personal policy for $100/month? I think my job pays 60% or 70% of my policy and I still pay almost $300/month for just me and the wife. It's getting worse this year now too. I currently just have co pays. Next year, they're going to a deductible, then 80/20 system which is going to cost me a good bit more out of pocket. :mad:
I have the same question. I gave up on regular health insurance when it went over $1000 a month for my family, and got a HSA instead.
black01gt
10-23-2008, 10:43 AM
our policy through the school district is right at 700 a month , teachers have lousy damn benefits . they pay a whopping 50 bucks of it.
Yep, my wife pays just a little less to "pretend" they have insurance coverage. It sucks!
Where can you get a personal policy for $100/month? I think my job pays 60% or 70% of my policy and I still pay almost $300/month for just me and the wife. It's getting worse this year now too. I currently just have co pays. Next year, they're going to a deductible, then 80/20 system which is going to cost me a good bit more out of pocket. :mad:
I just checked on ehealthinsurance.com last year or so and put in my age/health/sex and lots of quotes were $90-120/month.
YoBro
10-23-2008, 12:30 PM
I just checked on ehealthinsurance.com last year or so and put in my age/health/sex and lots of quotes were $90-120/month.
What were the deductables, visit and prescription costs?
Cooter
10-23-2008, 12:32 PM
I just checked on ehealthinsurance.com last year or so and put in my age/health/sex and lots of quotes were $90-120/month.
what where the terms/coverages/etc.?
what where the terms/coverages/etc.?
I dont remember guys...it was over a year ago. Im guessing 1500 deductible (maybe 2000) $20 copay for reg doctor visit.
Individual policies are USUALLY cheaper than the same corporate policies because they can charge more for companies.
Just go to ehealthinsurance.com and type in your info and see what it says. It compares lots of different plans from a few companies (BCBS, Aetna, etc)
Health insurance is a scam in this country. Why not take all that money and put it in an account and get a policy that covers catastrophic illnesses only?
FreightTrain
10-23-2008, 12:50 PM
Health insurance is a scam in this country. Why not take all that money and put it in an account and get a policy that covers catastrophic illnesses only?
I'd go for that. If you don't count a dentist I've only been to a doctor one time in the last 4 years.
STANGGT40
10-23-2008, 12:51 PM
Health insurance is a scam in this country. Why not take all that money and put it in an account and get a policy that covers catastrophic illnesses only?
i'm with you on that...between employees, myself, and my family, i spend a fortune on health insurance!
I've got a solution, anybody over 28 should be killed. Problem solved :cool:
jones4stangs
10-24-2008, 10:17 AM
I just wish the costs would come down.
I've got a family of 5. The policy at my job (under 25 employees) would cost $1600 per month to cover my family. Currently I've paying for a policy directly from Aetna. That's $800 per month, $30 copay, $2500 deductible. My daughters pediatrician recommended she have her hearing checked...... $400.
At my wife's previous job at Texas Health Resources the family policy cost $400 because the company paid for half.
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