Medical Costs

Bob Owens

Veteran
Sep 9, 2002
14,274
6,011
I came across an old paystub from 2003.

My medical coverage cost me $599.76 in 2003.

On Jan 1 2004 the pilot cap was removed, we were told that everyone was losing it so it didnt matter, but the pilots got it back.

Based on 48 payments for 2010 I'll be paying $2928 , a nearly 500% increase!

What many do not realize is that this agreement continues to write a blank check to the company because of something else nobody told us back in 2003, that any overages in the costs from the Pilots, Flight Attendants and anyone else that has a cap gets added to the figure thats used to determine what we pay. Thats why our rates have increased by 500%.
Here's how I remember it being explained. Lets say the cost to the company to provide coverage to a group that has a cap goes up $100 million more than the cap allows them to pass on to that group, that $100 million gets ADDED to to the amount used to determine what we must pay. So the cost to the company of providing those caps gets passed onto us.

Dont blame the groups that were smart enough to keep their caps, the people who made that call are answerable to their membership. Our leaders generously agreed to do this and it doesnt even get couted as part of our contribution to bail out the company.($23 million a year just from M&R based on current headcount)


Another thing to consider is the company's use of part timers. Part timers save the company a lot of money, they lure them in by providing medical benifits. The more part timers the more the total cost for providing the benifit would go up. The savings from having part timers could be offset by the fact that having so many drives up the cost of providing medical benifits, BUT,,, the company has the ability to pass those costs onto all of us. They get the cost savings of part timers, we get the bill for what draws them in.

Not counting FSA my total for Health Care coverage went from $863.52/year in 2003 to $3395.52.A $2532/year increase or an equivilent additional paycut of $1.22/hr since 2003. So after we took a 25% paycut in 2003 we were supposed to get 5 annual 1.5% increases in pay, for a top paid mechanic that came out to $1.95, but our Insurance payments TO THE COMPANY ate up $1.22 of that increase, increase before inflation of .73/hr cents over the seven years since we gave up the cap. So from 2003 to 2010 our net pay only increased by 2%, or less than a third of one percent a year.

I never added in the value of benifits to our pay cuts, but we lost other coverage as well, LTD, which some carriers provide and STD, which many of our peers get (600 hrs IOD bank and 12 day/year sick bank).

The LTD is good for another $600/year paycut and I never bought STD so I have no idea what it is.

So we have $3395.52+ $600 + ??? to add to the concessions we have given over the years, and that does not include deductables, copays and limited coverage.

We really need to get that cap back! It could cost us $5000/year by the time 2014 rolls around.
 
I came across an old paystub from 2003.

My medical coverage cost me $599.76 in 2003.

<snip>

Based on 48 payments for 2010 I'll be paying $2928 , a nearly 500% increase!

Some of us pay in excess of $900 a month for family medical coverage (employee + 2) through our employers.
 
I'm close to $600 a month, not including dental... that's a little less than 3x what Bob is complaining about...
 
I'm close to $600 a month, not including dental... that's a little less than 3x what Bob is complaining about...
Hmmmm...And "E"..according to the company...they want us to Pay more..And we shouldn't consider a strike? Why?

Does anyone know what the "Executives" pay at AA for Medical Inusrance? Arpey and Company? "E" I am sure you have those figures? Right?
 
I hate to say it but we the flight attendants have excellent health coverage. Even with the increase in the companies proposal we will be paying far less then most people. I had lunch with a friend and she was paying a whopping $1200 a month for her, her husband and her daughter. That was her share through her employer. The only thing I have a bone to pick on this issue for us is that in exchange for paying more for health costs we are not getting enough credit on other issues.
 
I hate to say it but we the flight attendants have excellent health coverage. Even with the increase in the companies proposal we will be paying far less then most people. I had lunch with a friend and she was paying a whopping $1200 a month for her, her husband and her daughter. That was her share through her employer. The only thing I have a bone to pick on this issue for us is that in exchange for paying more for health costs we are not getting enough credit on other issues.
Excellent as F/A's? Wow...You must be "SENIOR " at AA! I know many here that dont have "Any" Insurance at AA beacuse of furloght and.....Still you, ( Dont see It ), still didn't answer my Question...What does "AA"Rpey and Co pay for Medical Insurance?...Including Co-Pays etc....Are we"AA" all equal at "AA" or is this just another contract Concession? Hmmn...RESTORE the Contract from '01! We Deserve it!!
 
Excellent as F/A's? Wow...You must be "SENIOR " at AA! I know many here that dont have "Any" Insurance at AA beacuse of furloght and.....Still you, ( Dont see It ), still didn't answer my Question...What does "AA"Rpey and Co pay for Medical Insurance?...Including Co-Pays etc....Are we"AA" all equal at "AA" or is this just another contract Concession? Hmmn...RESTORE the Contract from '01! We Deserve it!!


It has nothing to do about seniority. We all pay the same amount. I don't really care what Arpey and company pay for their medical. Worrying about what management receives in compensation and benefits is not going to get me a better contract. Ask any of your friends employed in the private sector what they pay in medical and compare it to what we pay and then we can talk. I am sorry but on this issue we do not have much to complain about...at least as far as flight attendants are concerned.
 
It has nothing to do about seniority. We all pay the same amount. I don't really care what Arpey and company pay for their medical. Worrying about what management receives in compensation and benefits is not going to get me a better contract. Ask any of your friends employed in the private sector what they pay in medical and compare it to what we pay and then we can talk. I am sorry but on this issue we do not have much to complain about...at least as far as flight attendants are concerned.
I do care about it...Why? They want "us" F/A's to pay more? Again, I pose the guestion...Willl anyone here back me up, or we all Spineless? What does "AA"Rpey and the rest of the Execs pay for Healthcare? Please, Elighten us all? Do we "AA"LL get the same treatment?
 
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I'm close to $600 a month, not including dental... that's a little less than 3x what Bob is complaining about...

How much has it gone up since you hired on? And how much has your employer cut your pay? When I hired on it cost us nothing.
 
And about Bob's premise that the M&R group, not having the caps, are subsidizing the pilots? I noticed last year that the TWU was paying much more for their insurance than the pilot's or the f/a's. TWU negotiations at its best.
 
How much has it gone up since you hired on? And how much has your employer cut your pay? When I hired on it cost us nothing.
"E" was hired on as Mgmt at AA...I will let you judge what he was paid?....You are "Union? Tell me what u should pay?
 
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It has nothing to do about seniority. We all pay the same amount. I don't really care what Arpey and company pay for their medical. Worrying about what management receives in compensation and benefits is not going to get me a better contract. Ask any of your friends employed in the private sector what they pay in medical and compare it to what we pay and then we can talk. I am sorry but on this issue we do not have much to complain about...at least as far as flight attendants are concerned.
You do pay less than we do, and through no fault of yours, its all our own, we pay more because we end up paying what you dont.
 
I do care about it...Why? They want "us" F/A's to pay more? Again, I pose the guestion...Willl anyone here back me up, or we all Spineless? What does "AA"Rpey and the rest of the Execs pay for Healthcare? Please, Elighten us all? Do we "AA"LL get the same treatment?


Dude, I am not spineless. I was 1500 miles from home when we went on strike and I walked in a circle with a picket sign for 5 days in 1993 to stand up for what I believe in. I am just smart enough to understand where to get my ire up and it just ain't gonna happened with our health care costs at AA. Now ask me about retiree medical and then I have a problem. That is real money.
 
Dude, I am not spineless. I was 1500 miles from home when we went on strike and I walked in a circle with a picket sign for 5 days in 1993 to stand up for what I believe in. I am just smart enough to understand where to get my ire up and it just ain't gonna happened with our health care costs at AA. Now ask me about retiree medical and then I have a problem. That is real money.
Personally...Medical for Retirees is going away...If you don't get that, then retire? What about "us " that are actually WORKING this job? not trying to retire ( Like we should have 30 years ago ) , but trying to make a living... I will EASILY sign off on reitiree medical provided "WE" , Who are Working, can live our lives....Because you are "Greedy", "Self Centered", and refuse to Retire ( WITH FULL BENEFITS )..Not my issue anymore..Goodluck!! Again,..Can someone Answer the Question Posed?...What do the EXECS at AA pay for Medical? Please, someone respond?
 
Personally...Medical for Retirees is going away...If you don't get that, then retire? What about "us " that are actually WORKING this job? not trying to retire ( Like we should have 30 years ago ) , but trying to make a living... I will EASILY sign off on reitiree medical provided "WE" , Who are Working, can live our lives....Because you are "Greedy", "Self Centered", and refuse to Retire ( WITH FULL BENEFITS )..Not my issue anymore..Goodluck!! Again,..Can someone Answer the Question Posed?...What do the EXECS at AA pay for Medical? Please, someone respond?
F/A Mikey? You always have the answer...Where are you?
 
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