My husband's NEW company health care plan: DON'T GET SICK

My husband works for a major corporation. We just got the news that they are offering a new health care plan. Where there used to be multiple choices just three years ago, there are now only 2 options:

1. A plan with a $5000.00 deductible for any costs other than annual check ups and immunization shots (provided you stay in-network, that is. Otherwise the deductible shoots up to $10,000). After that, we pay 15% of all costs -- EVERYTHING!!! Unless you go out of network, then it shoots to 35%.

OR...

2. Opt out and you're on your own.


We have 3 people in our family with chronic conditions. We did the math on this, and this new plan is going to cost us a minimum of $500.00 a month -- maybe as much as $700.00 -- until we max out our deductible. We are totally freaking out, we can't afford this.

My husband started looking for a new job today. We love where we live and we'd like to stay here, but we can't afford this. I am just in shock.

The worst part of all:

After learning of this news, I told three people that we need a public option in this country. One person (a doctor) heartily agree. Another person (a professor) thought a public option wouldn't change anything. And a third person (my own sister) claimed that a public option would be the worst thing for this country!!!

How can they be so ignorant???? What is it that they don't understand in this equation???

I just want to cry.

and I would fear retribution from this company. I'll be happy to name them once my husband leaves. Even though it is an enormous company, my profile shows where I live and there are only a handful of employees that live in this small town. They could narrow it down who we are if they wanted to.

and if we don't get a public option in this country, it will.

http://www.cineplex.com/Movies/FamousNews/FamousMagazine/ecms.aspx/$cineplex/ShearerBurns_2.jpg

edit: header

Oh, that's right, he has said it could be in the bill, or not, makes little difference to him, just as long as he gets his Rose Garden Bill signing. Change we can believe in?? gobama?

If you are a full-time employee at my workplace, you must either a) carry their group insurance, or b) prove you have other coverage. For part-timers, the insurance requirement is waivable.

That said, I understand you are basically being forced to pay into something you cannot afford.

Just paraphrasing Congressman Grayson. I'm so sorry you are being caught up in our corporate health care disgrace. I wish there was something I could advise you to do. I personally dropped my high deductible health insurance before I qualified for Medicare. I found I couldn't afford the premium and to pay for my health care too. I kept my fingers crossed that I wouldn't get a big disease like cancer before I could get Medicare. However, I would never recommend that anyone take the gamble that I did.

We so need a govt. insurance plan like HR676 to be made available to everyone so that they have a choice. I think that the $500 a month would cover it and it would cover everything without any additional money being paid out when you go to the doctor. That's a real health care plan. What everyone is being offered today is a health care scam to keep that sixth of the economy afloat that are nothing but blood sucking parasites.You have to pay that $5,000 deductible every year so that you really never do get health care coverage back for your premium. It really is a disgrace.

If you have any employer-provided insurance plan -- no matter how crappy -- you're ineligible for the Public Option in the best version currently being considered by the House.

This is not being designed to succeed, except for the insurance companies.

Are they funding any of the deductible by putting $ into the HSA?

I have to apply as a spouse with a chronic condition for my $250.00 That means, I must fill out a questionaire disclosing all of my health issues, go through an interview process and then "they" (whoever THEY are) will determine if I am elligible for my $250.00.

It's not worth it to me. I won't apply.

I've had an HDHP for a few years now but my employer funds 75% of the deductible. Even though they are having $ difficulties now (health care facility coping with lower Medicare/Medicaid reimbursements), they are still funding it next year.

They also do the questionnaire thing here (Health Risk Assessment - HRA) but our HSA contribution is not dependent on it. If you don't do the HRA, they charge you a higher premium for your coverage.

There's a recent new twist on the HRA questionaires - they can't ask you anything that is related to family medical history. Its a violation of some genetic information privacy act.

Can you contribute to the HSA? If they run it thru a Sec 125 Cafeteria Plan, at least you'd avoid taxes (approx 25-30% when you tally up FIT, SIT and SS/Medicare) on that money which you know you'll be putting out anyway. You own the HSA so there is no use it or lose it issues with that $. And its not taxed when you spend it as long as you use it for qualified medical expenses.

I hope your hubby is in a line of work that is in demand and can land another job soon.

According to the people who watch the industry, high deductible plans are the way of the future with the for-profit insurance companies.

So much for, "if you like the insurance you have, you can keep it." You can't when your employer stops offering it.

as it for all the other countries who have such a system.

Yeah, those "health care options" are real atrocities, utterly useless and with really no sense in signing up for either, have you looked out side of the job for other options?

"Compassionate Conservatives" my ass.

The party of "No" lives up to expectations.

:hug:

Health care in this country is in a state of DISGRACE, and unfortunately I'm afraid it's only going to get WORSE with this scam of a DEform. :grr:

We'll get past it and I know we're still doing better than millions of other people. But the ignorance around the public option is so infuriating.

:pals: