Two Steps Back...
So we got an e-mail at work that they are ONCE AGAIN changing our health care program!!!
Let me give you some background: When I first started here I had THE BEST health insurance ever...I paid about $25 a paycheck and EVERYTHING was covered...I had the time of my life...Allergy Shots, Dermotologist Check Ups, Annual Physical...great!!
Then they pulled the rug out from under me. They switched to a Health Savings Account (HSA) program where there is no montly payment (okay) but NOTHING is covered until you pay the ridiculous deductible of $1200!!! There is no way that I reach $1200 in a year even with my happy elective services. So no more Allergy Shots or check ups. But I did save $50 a month in premiums...so whatever.
SO NOW...I get married...add Mark to my insurance and since neither of us get sick the HSA is okay. Then WHAMMO...now we have to PAY a monthly preminum for the terrible HSA insurance. So now in addition to basically having NO coverage until we hit the FAMILY deductible of now $2400...we now have to fork over almost $800 a year to pay for the no coverage!!! YIPEEEE!!!! (Granted $800 a year would be fine...and compared to other Americans it is much cheaper...that is IF we also didn't have to pay for everything out of pocket too...)
No pay increase for 2 years...no cell phone reimbursement...now basically a pay cut...
I love insurance & CBTS!! If we ever do decide to have a baby...I will have to sell turquoise jewelry by the side of the road to pay for the $2400 out-of-pocket medical expenses...
Kris
P.S. Not to make this a political debate, but: To any Republican out there who thinks we don't need healthcare reform...re-read this blog post please. Employers should not be responsible for providing healthcare because it is not in the best interest of their bottom line and that obviously affects the people who need the healthcare!!! If we take Employers out of the equation and make Insurance company answerable to the their customers and some type of regulation like other businessnes then we might actually get affordable quality care. I am not talking AT ALL about a Government run healthcare system...hardly any democrats want that...I just want to reform the system we have.
Anyway....healthcare sucks!
3 comments:
Without getting too preachy, I agree with Kris about the need for health care reform. People's sickness should not be used for profit. I recently read a comment from a Canadian who saw one of those jars in a U.S. store. It was to collect money for a young girl with Stage III cancer and no insurance. We are the only industrialized country where that would happen. Shame on us.
Yikes, that health care plan is terrible! It practically forces people to avoid going to a doctor unless something catastrophic happens, which will do nothing but drive up costs in the long run. I pretty much agree with Dad...let's all move to Canada.
UPDATE: After doing some more research and number crunching, I have decided to fork over the $182.00 per month for the good PPO healthcare. I think it will save us money in the long run if we have a kid next year...or if Mark decides to chop off one of his fingers or fall through a ceiling.
Still not happy about it...
Kris
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