Target Corp.cuts health coverage - may actually drop all coverage

So this is the GOP plan for "shifting some of the medical care responsibility to the employees" so as to encourage employees to take increased responsibility for their health-care spending, because this will reduce our nations health care costs.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that the Target Corp. now offers its employees high deductible health plans (HDHPs) coupled with a health savings account (HSA) or a health reimbursement account (HRA). Target is also considering dropping its traditional health plan offering.Target spokeswoman Carolyn Brookter denied that the company is shifting costs to employees and said it would continue to pay the majority of employees' health costs. "We believe consumer plans allow us to continue providing competitive benefits ... while addressing the rising costs of health care benefits," she said.


The Minneapolis Star Tribune also reports that Target is also considering dropping its traditional health plan offering.

You can bet they feel compelled to do this because of Wal-Mart. In addition, Wal-Mart has been one of the single biggest reasons so many small and medium mfg jobs have left America.

According to Hillary, that means you are coming out of college "starting at the top", you are "spoiled", "ungreatful", "lazy". You should work for many years before getting any health insurance. <sarsacm off> :eyes:

Seriously, this is horrible. We need universal healthcare.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2628709

I'm not a Rodham-Clinton supporter, but I also think your post is an unfair attack. Yeah, she made a broad-brush generalization, but I can tell you that she's not completely off-base in that generalization. I've worked in higher ed for a ten years now and I've encountered a HUGE number of students leaving school with their BS/BBA/BA and expecting a $50,000 salary right out the gate.

Admittedly, there are some that get that salary. Admittedly, they've been told that if they go to college then they'll get the good-paying jobs. Admittedly, there are many students who understand that a BA in liberal arts isn't likely to get you anything but an admission to graduate school or a post-bac teacher's certification program. ADMITTEDLY, there are scores of students who know that $50,000 is a salary they may never see in their lifetime (as I probably will never see as well, even with a graduate degree). But there are also scores of students who graduate with a sense of entitlement rather than ambition, and that's what I think HRC was trying to address. She did that gracelessly, and she should probably spank her speechwriter.

My Point Is: HRC never even mentioned benefits, so what are you bringing her up for?

:eyes:

Because it sure didn't sound like sarcasm to me, despite the sarcasm tag.

Your post struck me as being in the same family of saying "Gosh that suit is ugly... JUST KIDDING!"

Health insurance had three precursors:

*Kaiser (during WW2)
Kaiser was the first "big"plan covering lots of WW2 steel workers and shipyard workers. No deductibles or co-pays (or very minimal deductibles and co-pays), Kaiser picked up 100%.

*Pre-WW2 "Insurance" Plans
Originally these were what would be called "catastrophic" plans - high deductibles, high co-pays, mostly for in patient expenses. My parents had these plans in the late 1930's.

*"Membership" Plans (Unions, fraternal and ethnic societies, churches)
These were also "catastrophic" plans - high deductibles, high co-pays, mostly for in patient expenses. But, they did have a "need based" benefit for members who were disabled, laid off, etc.

If you play with the probabilities, statistics, actuarial tables, etc. with some combination of:

*Self insurance for the first $2500-$3500/year,
*Full coverage" (no deductibles, no co-pay) for everything else

seems to work if you have a job. Of course, that assume that the premiums reflect that you are "self-insuring" for the first $2500-$3000.

Pay workers the lowest wage you can and still get them in the door, then cut benefits! That translates to: we will give you XYZ as compensation for your time, skills, and efforts. THEN we are gonna take Z away from you. You are now working for only X & Y. HA HA! we just stole some or your time, skills and efforts and you can't call a cop.