March 10, 2011
I am so mad I could spit! We just found out our health insurance deductible has gone up to $5000, and the annual out-of-pocket cap was raised to $12,000! In other words, we don't have much more than catastrophic care. It is absolutely infuriating that we have no choice in the matter---our insurance is provided by my husband’s employer, which pays 75% of the premiums and allows us no say in the matter. How are we supposed to ever get ahead if medical expenses eat up that much of our income? Pray to God that no one gets sick!
This is just infuriating! Here we have worked and struggled all of our lives and now, even though we have insurance, one illness or major injury could ruin our finances. With less than ten years to retirement, we need to be saving our money, not spending every extra dollar on medical bills.
Needless to say, Mr. Struggle has been online, looking for a new job today. Unfortunately, pickings are pretty slim in our town. What’s really aggravating is that you don’t know what things are like at other companies---maybe their benefits are just as bad! It would be really nice to have full disclosure before you waste time preparing a résumé or interviewing. Or even better---maybe the same benefits for everyone, no matter where you work. Why should corporate employees get better healthcare than those who work for small business, and government employees get yet another plan? What makes them better than the rest of us? Because they knew someone that hired them? Because they worked hard and “deserved it”? That’s a bunch of hooey; my husband (in middle-management) works longer hours and harder than many white-collar workers, as do many people in lower-paying retail, labor and service positions.
For that matter, why should insurance be tied to employment at all? If employers want to offer better compensation packages, they should beef them up with cash. Each person should be free to choose the insurance plan that he or she is most comfortable with. I don’t like not having any say in something that affects me and my family so very personally. I don’t like losing coverage when my husband changes jobs, and being told the new insurance plan doesn’t start for three or even six months! (What is that all about, and why is it legal?) I don’t like that highly-paid executives in many corporations have Cadillac plans while lower-paid employees—those who can least afford it---have inferior coverage and pay more out-of-pocket expenses.
America—the land of the greed and the home of the slave.
My neighbor reports a $10,000 insurance deductible where he works, but says his company has an agreement to help employees cover some of it. My sister's deductible just went to $6000 per year. A friend reports a $6000 deductible. Lower individual caps are quickly becoming a thing of the past, and 70/30 splits are replacing the previous 80/20. And, of course, the monthly premiums have increased, even with these lesser benefits.
What changes are you seeing in your insurance this year?
My neighbor reports a $10,000 insurance deductible where he works, but says his company has an agreement to help employees cover some of it. My sister's deductible just went to $6000 per year. A friend reports a $6000 deductible. Lower individual caps are quickly becoming a thing of the past, and 70/30 splits are replacing the previous 80/20. And, of course, the monthly premiums have increased, even with these lesser benefits.
What changes are you seeing in your insurance this year?
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