Health insurance

[Brooke]

That's why it's possible for the government to spend enough to provide living wages to the entire 40-50 million Americans at the bottom of the income range yet see no reduction in the poverty rate - and that's leaving the entire incentives issue aside.

There's an excellent book on this that you might like:  Losing Ground: American Social Policy, 1950-1980, by Charles Murray.

[spammer]

See Rule #14

[SilverZ06]

I'd edit that before Skuzzy sees it.  It will definitely get the thread closed as you are attempting to do, but it will probably also get you a week or two vacation from the boards.

[Karnak]

It is funny that in every case hyped by the media where so and so had their rate go up or the plan canceled and so on and how horrible it is, a better plan than they had was available for less than they had been paying through an exchange.

Those here who are saying their rates went up (beyond the normal 10-15% annual rate increases) are either making way more than I am or never checked their options on an exchange.  When your insurance company tries to sell you a compliant plan they don't calculate the help you might get via an exchange, they just give you the raw price.  The exchange, at least the Federal one, show you the raw prices, but then applies the assistance based on what you set for income and people to be insured and such.

Basically, if you didn't try an exchange and are claiming your rate went way up you may have had options to avoid that, depending on income.

[rpm]

See Rule #14

[Brooke]

See Rule #14

[Brooke]

It is funny that in every case hyped by the media where so and so had their rate go up or the plan canceled and so on and how horrible it is, a better plan than they had was available for less than they had been paying through an exchange.

No, there are a lot of people who can't get an exchange plan that is as good as the plan they had before, and the replacement (which isn't as good) costs them more money anyway.

[spammer]

See Rule #14

[Brooke]

See Rule #14

[HawkerMKII]

I dont even want to talk about this. I'll get banned from the forums were my views known.

Same here but I would be banned for the world if I told my views

[guncrasher]

am I curious, am I the only one in the this thread who's insurance has been going up at the same rate for the past 7 years?  when I started at the company my insurance was free for the employee.  with wife or family it was a bit more.  then it kept going up 15 or 20 bucks a year.  it double to a whooping less than 200 bucks a month when  the current law allowed me to add my daughter and son to my insurance, since they're over 18 but under 26.  my daughter got married to an air force guy (oh the shame), so I only have my youngest son (he works for wall mart while going to college ) on it and my insurance went down.  I pay about 180 or a 190 a month, cant remember exactly.

doctor's visits are 30 bucks but my company has a clinic at work where we pay no deductibles.  medication is at most 10 bucks each for a 30 day supply.  btw at work I have the most expensive insurance, kaiser permanente,  others have cheaper alternatives that I hope work for them.

me and a coworker were talking about insurance and he said it was unfair that my company was being forced to add my kids to my insurance.  I asked him if it was fair that his wife's employer is being forced to pay for his insurance (he declined to get it at our work), he just mumbled that it wasnt the same thing.


anyway, I guess I work for the only company that likes to negotiate rates to be as low as they can with the insurance company.

semp

[Brooke]

anyway, I guess I work for the only company that likes to negotiate rates to be as low as they can with the insurance company.

My company has 7 people in it.  Such companies don't negotiate rates with insurance companies.  I look at the large number of plans and terms available and pick the one we like best (best mix of benefit for the price).

By the way, what company doesn't want to get the lowest prices for the things it wants to buy?

[guncrasher]

My company has 7 people in it.  Such companies don't negotiate rates with insurance companies.  I look at the large number of plans and terms available and pick the one we like best (best mix of benefit for the price).

By the way, what company doesn't want to get the lowest prices for the things it wants to buy?

that's the thing.  when a company has 1000 employees it has a much better chance of getting lower price than one with 7 employees.  just like everywhere else.   if a company has 100k employees it has an even better chance of getting better rates if the company is willing to ask for them.

I currently pay less per month for my health insurance  than at my old job 15 years ago that had 30k employees.  at my old company they wouldnt bother to negotiate rates, they would just take whatever was given to them.  I know this because I knew people from HR who told me that.

semp

[rpm]

See Rule #14

[Brooke]

See Rule #14