RANT: Remember when insurance was a benefit?
RantIt is time for my yearly complaining about health insurance becoming more and more ridiculous every year. The insurance premiums that are offered by my employer are now more than many people's salaries!
For those of you that work for big companies, you are going to likely be shocked by these numbers, but this is the email I receieved this morning from the owner of our company:
[unnamed company] will be renewing its agreement with United Healthcare in March. The new premium amounts are as follows:
| Current | Renewal | |
| Employee Only | 340.59 |
381.46 |
| Employee and Spouse | 747.51 | 837.21 |
| Employee and Child | 665.22 | 745.05 |
| Employee and Family | 1140.77 | 1277.66 |
If you have any questions, please see [HR person]. Also, please appreciate the additional amount that [unnamed company] is paying on your behalf.
May you all have a healthy 2007!
Barf!
So the obvious answer is to go get private policies, right? Here is the catch. For those of us (which was me until last year!) who are still planning on growing our families, to the best of my knowledge it is not possible to get reasonable maternity coverage on a private policy in Texas. It has been determined that this is an "elective procedure" according to my insurance agent. So for you big company employees who consider going to smaller shops, or you single guys how consider going towards families.... take heed! Life ain't cheap.
Jimmyn said:
that's a 12% from one year to the next. my insurance seems to have made similar increases going back a few years.
it's amazing how the healthcare inflation rate seems to be anywhere from 4 to 6 times the actual inflation rate.
it's amazing how the healthcare inflation rate seems to be anywhere from 4 to 6 times the actual inflation rate.
Ryan Everhart said:
Thats just wrong!!! You are going to have to pay $1,277 a month for health insurance?? Thats robbery!! I work for one of the big companies you mentioned above and I pay about a 1/4 of that per month, WITH United Healthcare!! It shouldn't matter if you work for a big companyor a small company, everyone should be equal!
Jim said:
That looks about right. Though I recently moved to a really large company and my insurance actually dropped quite a bit - but it's still high IMO.
Michael Moore was supposed to be working on a film about the American healthcare industry - that should be interesting! :)
Michael Moore was supposed to be working on a film about the American healthcare industry - that should be interesting! :)
mike said:
yeah.. well.. the CEO of United Healthcare probably doesn't have a problem with those rates because.. well.. he makes so much freakin' money:
http://hcrenewal.blogspot.com/2005/05/how-can-1248...
It'll continue.. maybe if web developers and bloggers start an organized campaign to embarrass the companies and the employees of those companies then things might change? Nahh.. greed prevails.
http://hcrenewal.blogspot.com/2005/05/how-can-1248...
It'll continue.. maybe if web developers and bloggers start an organized campaign to embarrass the companies and the employees of those companies then things might change? Nahh.. greed prevails.
Calvin said:
Well, not sure who to blame, but take a look at the Nemours vs BlueCross BlueShield of Florida situation. Nemours wants more money, Blue offered more, but not enough according to Nemours...
ref: http://www.news4jax.com/news/10485144/detail.html
ref: http://www.news4jax.com/news/10485144/detail.html
Phil Duba said:
Wow, that's a ton. Well, I worked for a small company that was bought by a big company and my insurance costs tripled and it went up 6x or more for those with families. Moral of the story: marry someone who works for the government, :).
Tom Cornilliac said:
Wow! Those are some shocking numbers Dave. Suddenly I feel very grateful for my health benefits. Thanks for the perspective! Very sobering.
tony petruzzi said:
@phil
I work for the government and will tell you that you are dead right. For me and my wife, it costs literally $35.00 for our HMO. When we have a kid, the cost will be $50.00. My biggest reason for staying where I'm at is the benefits. Sure I could make more going somewhere else, but it doesn't pay. My wife once had to go into the hospital and it costs $35K, no lie. All I had to pay was my $150.00 co-pay. You can't beat that.
I work for the government and will tell you that you are dead right. For me and my wife, it costs literally $35.00 for our HMO. When we have a kid, the cost will be $50.00. My biggest reason for staying where I'm at is the benefits. Sure I could make more going somewhere else, but it doesn't pay. My wife once had to go into the hospital and it costs $35K, no lie. All I had to pay was my $150.00 co-pay. You can't beat that.
Dave Shuck said:
Surely there has got to be a shakeup coming. Every year I see an increase like this. How high can it get before people just can't pay in? The thing that is terrible is that prices like this make people start talking about what a great idea socialized medicine would be! I have yet to meet a single Canadian who would agree with that. :)
Peter Bell said:
Numbers look about right to me from my previous experience and the hikes in healthcare premiums over the next few years. One thing smaller companies should consider are the policies with REALLY high deductables (up to $5k/yr). The company can self insure for the excesses (so it's not up to the employees to pick up the tab) and with a relatively healthy workforce can save a fair bit of cash. I remember looking into this a while back but can't remember the name of those policies.
As for socialized medicine, healthcare (like everything else) has to be limited in some manner. In the UK with the National Health Service it is limited through rationing and in the US it is limited by ability to afford the coverage. The real solution is to look for incentives throughout the value chain (from the employee on up) to lower costs. Everything from lower premiums for people making better health choices to paying a small bonus to physicians for selecting cheaper generics over much more expensive brand name drugs (a couple of pharma companies might take exception to that one, but it's about time it was implemented).
As for socialized medicine, healthcare (like everything else) has to be limited in some manner. In the UK with the National Health Service it is limited through rationing and in the US it is limited by ability to afford the coverage. The real solution is to look for incentives throughout the value chain (from the employee on up) to lower costs. Everything from lower premiums for people making better health choices to paying a small bonus to physicians for selecting cheaper generics over much more expensive brand name drugs (a couple of pharma companies might take exception to that one, but it's about time it was implemented).
New User said:
Thats just terrible. Especially the "May you all have a healthy 2007!", after you've been beaten over the head and had your lunch money stolen.
Wendy McKim said:
Wow... Boy does it pay to work for a major company. I feel like we are robbing Dave's company blind with our healthcare and benefits. Makes me more thankful. I will no longer complain!
Dave McKim said:
Wow, we would be broke if we had to pay that. I think the difference with the big companies vs the small companies is most big companies are self insured. Whereas the company itself pays all the insurance claims and they just contract with a company like United Health Care to manage the account.
tureli_do said:
My current insurance is closer to $525/mo. Covers me, spouse, and children. I could have gone with an HMO would have cost me less, and covered a little more but one of the doctors my wife must "see" wasn't covered under that plan.
jimmy kolo said:
Sounds more like a whine than a rant- Remember you are the one who elected into office the jerks that are ultimatly responsible for this. The election is coming up you should start do your homework..
Ryan Everhart said:
Jimmy,
You honestly believe that President Bush is responsible for the health care crisis in America today? Do you think that Dave would pay less for health care if Al Gore, John Kerry or an independent were President? Additionally how the heck do you know who Dave voted for in the first place?
Ryan
You honestly believe that President Bush is responsible for the health care crisis in America today? Do you think that Dave would pay less for health care if Al Gore, John Kerry or an independent were President? Additionally how the heck do you know who Dave voted for in the first place?
Ryan
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