We checked into another plan (HealthAmerica) that does medical underwriting with just the people currently enrolled. However, due to medical issues within the group, the premiums were too high so we stayed with Capital Blue Cross. This is our second year with them and it has been a great plan too. I selected the PPO plan and have no complaints with the coverage. We had no complaints with Highmark Blue Shield other than the premiums were just getting so high it hurts the participation levels. We do contribute 50% of the employee’s premium. We currently have 65 employees and have 23 people eligible for the insurance right now (our open enrollment period). We have 14 enrolled, 4 who waived & are covered under a spouse’s plan or a state plan and two who have to decide if they are enrolling or not.

The broker we are using is local, works with smaller companies, and they do the work of looking at the options and pricing and then present a single summary sheet to us with the best options for our company. They meet with us and review what we want to offer, our concerns, any other issues that may affect our decision, etc. This is much better than some other brokers I have had to deal with that bring in their 3 ring binders with 20 different plans or more and I would have to wade through everything!

Hope this is helpful to you. We have been in your situation and it is difficult as well as frustrating.

“For Mike, spending $1,300 for health insurance per month, you probably have a Cadillac of a plan. You should ask your employer about changing the deductible, co-pay, prescription plan coverages to get the monthly premium amount down. Don’t act like you are a helpless victim, talk to your human resources or benefits department to see what they are doing at annual negotitations.”

Our rates are extremely high for a small business. For instance, over the past couple of years, our PPO Plan for Family has risen to over $1600. Although the company pays a portion, it is still hard on everyone enrolled. We have negotiated until we are blue in the face but to no avail. In addition to the economy, we have a lot of insurance claims. These folks don’t want to have medical situations. We can’t, as a company, pick and choose who we insure.

It isn’t fair to our employees but that’s life. We are a small company with a few high-risk employees. So ALL of our employees’ premiums go up. There might be a similar sized company across town whose employees don’t file as many high-cost claims. Therefore, ALL of their employees benefit from lower premiums.

Scott, if you can figure a way for us to lower our health insurance premiums, it would be welcome. We have raised our deductibles, co-pays and prescription costs. At this point we are unable to change insurance companies because no one wants us. A few people might be able to get lower cost insurances through private companies, but in most cases, people’s hands ARE tied. Especially if there is a health condition involved.

For Mike, spending $1,300 for health insurance per month, you probably have a Cadillac of a plan. You should ask your employer about changing the deductible, co-pay, prescription plan coverages to get the monthly premium amount down. Don’t act like you are a helpless victim, talk to your human resources or benefits department to see what they are doing at annual negotitations.

I believe charitable care should be eliminated from hospitals, as it is driving up the insureds rates. If people need care and they can’t afford it, they should be required to sign a work agreement with the health care provider to pay it back or agree to cancel their cell phone, internet service, take back a vehicle, not buy the newest Nikes or skip a take out meal or two and work to pay it back. Way back in the day when we were a capitalist society, people would trade and barter for things, might not be a bad way to go back to, as things were cheaper then and people seemed to get the care they needed.

The other thought would be, that if people need care, we already have a fully funded government health care system through the Veteran’s Administration. If able bodied people don’t have insurance and need care, they could go there and agree to sign a Military service or National Guard contract to help pay off the health care services they received and fulfill those obligations to satisfy their debt. After all, we are only talking that less than 10% of the population is uninsured.

True there are many wealthy farmers who are mass-producing our food (and as a byproduct degrading the foods’ nutrients, but that’s another blog). But many, many, many farmers are SOL just like every other middle class American.

Just wanted to keep it real.

My feeling is that this “overhaul” of our medical/health insurance system should be done in stages instead of a wholesale change all at once just to get it done. Doing it properly is the most important thing. Take one area, work on that and then when that is completed, move on to the next section. This will allow for a more thorough and more insightful process to this issue. The less government involvement (regardless of the political party in power) in general is better. When our country was founded it was said, “The government that governs least, governs best.” That axiom still applies today, but is being followed less and less over the past several decades by both political parties. When government wants to take over something, it tends to make things more difficult and often more expensive, regardless of what is promised. I would rather that they do this right, not just fast, to get it done.

Limiting the dollar amount for Flex plans limits those that rely on using the tax favored money to help pay for on-going medical problems. This is making employees more accountable for their own expenses and in turn allows insurance to be structured to make employees have to pick up more out of pocket expense.

I don’t understand why more employers and employees are not upset by the changes to Flex plans. We all need to make contact with our congress members about these changes and COMPLAIN!!! These changes could go into effect JANUARY 1, 2010!! That’s just 3 months away folks!!