Comments on: Guess what? Worker health coverage is going up http://www.hrmorning.com/guess-what-worker-health-costs-rising/ Your daily dose of HR Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:52:03 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Denise http://www.hrmorning.com/guess-what-worker-health-costs-rising/comment-page-1/#comment-30829 Denise Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:15:08 +0000 http://www.hrmorning.com/?p=2043#comment-30829 In 1996 our company paid $117.59 per month for single coverage and $358.64 for family coverage for our employees. That was with a $250.00 deductible and 80/20 to $5,000.00 after which it was 100%. No concerns about networks or contracted Doctors, we could go to any Doctor we wanted. In 2009 our company pays $332.91 per month for single coverage and $1,065.32 for family coverage. That is with a $3,000.00 deductible, $6,000.00 if the provider is out of network with a 60/40 split for non-contracted providers. The company contributes $1500.00 per year to our HSA to help out on the increased deductible. (The HSA has proven very valuable on many levels but that is another topic for another time.) In 2002, when Clinton was running for office and talking about health care reform, we had the highest ever annual increase of 25.67%. When he got elected we had the only decrease we had ever seen, it was 27.63% less, (yes, LESS), than the year before. The next year, when the Clinton administration was still trying for reform we had less than a 1% increase. The next 2 years, after health care was no longer on the legislative table, our premiums went up 17% and 16% respectively and would have been higher had we not greatly increased our deductible to try to keep costs down. We are considering dropping our company sponsored plan all together because those of us who are healthy are being penalized for those that are not (sometimes through no fault of their own.) Senators, prisoners, the elderly/retired, and unmarried/low income/single parents have the lowest cost (or free) health care. Quit arguing about what won't work and start coming up with some solutions that will work, OR, start the rhetoric about how best to "thin the herd" because that will be the only solution. In 1996 our company paid $117.59 per month for single coverage and $358.64 for family coverage for our employees. That was with a $250.00 deductible and 80/20 to $5,000.00 after which it was 100%. No concerns about networks or contracted Doctors, we could go to any Doctor we wanted.
In 2009 our company pays $332.91 per month for single coverage and $1,065.32 for family coverage. That is with a $3,000.00 deductible, $6,000.00 if the provider is out of network with a 60/40 split for non-contracted providers. The company contributes $1500.00 per year to our HSA to help out on the increased deductible. (The HSA has proven very valuable on many levels but that is another topic for another time.)
In 2002, when Clinton was running for office and talking about health care reform, we had the highest ever annual increase of 25.67%. When he got elected we had the only decrease we had ever seen, it was 27.63% less, (yes, LESS), than the year before. The next year, when the Clinton administration was still trying for reform we had less than a 1% increase. The next 2 years, after health care was no longer on the legislative table, our premiums went up 17% and 16% respectively and would have been higher had we not greatly increased our deductible to try to keep costs down.
We are considering dropping our company sponsored plan all together because those of us who are healthy are being penalized for those that are not (sometimes through no fault of their own.)
Senators, prisoners, the elderly/retired, and unmarried/low income/single parents have the lowest cost (or free) health care.
Quit arguing about what won’t work and start coming up with some solutions that will work, OR, start the rhetoric about how best to “thin the herd” because that will be the only solution.

]]> By: Mandi R http://www.hrmorning.com/guess-what-worker-health-costs-rising/comment-page-1/#comment-14438 Mandi R Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:45:46 +0000 http://www.hrmorning.com/?p=2043#comment-14438 Oh Scott...universal healthcare is just another way of increasing taxes and putting the government in control of more of our decisions. I don't want to wait for months to see any Doctor because mine left. It does stink that the rates are going higher. I agree, something needs to be done, but to give control of our healthcare to the government is not the right answer. They have enough trouble allocating the taxes they already get. They are in charge of our schools, but here in Nevada, our drop out rate is higher than our graduation rate. I am very fearful of putting my granddaughter in public school...I want her to learn and graduate. The public school system can't even offer that. Oh Scott…universal healthcare is just another way of increasing taxes and putting the government in control of more of our decisions. I don’t want to wait for months to see any Doctor because mine left. It does stink that the rates are going higher. I agree, something needs to be done, but to give control of our healthcare to the government is not the right answer. They have enough trouble allocating the taxes they already get. They are in charge of our schools, but here in Nevada, our drop out rate is higher than our graduation rate. I am very fearful of putting my granddaughter in public school…I want her to learn and graduate. The public school system can’t even offer that.

]]> By: Scott M http://www.hrmorning.com/guess-what-worker-health-costs-rising/comment-page-1/#comment-14347 Scott M Mon, 01 Jun 2009 20:37:40 +0000 http://www.hrmorning.com/?p=2043#comment-14347 "A glimmer of good news: The report showed that costs are rising but not quite as rapidly as they had in prior years." Who says we need Universal Health Care? As long as the costs rise but not quite as rapidly as previous years. Hope you realize I'm being sarcastic. “A glimmer of good news: The report showed that costs are rising but not quite as rapidly as they had in prior years.”

Who says we need Universal Health Care? As long as the costs rise but not quite as rapidly as previous years.

Hope you realize I’m being sarcastic.

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