Health Plan? What Health Plan

[thepoohbear]

I went to get a prescription for my daughter a few weeks ago.Now I was used to the 5,10 copay. Now I know that it had doubled , but I did''nt know they have a list that you pay even more for.This got even crazier when I went on the internet to reorder my prescription on AdvanceRX.com which has a tie in with the company. Before I would send them my prescription for 90 days with 3 refills and it would cost $10 for each prescription. I went on and asked for the same order and was told $70 per prescription total $280 per year.Now I know $10 was really cheap but $70 each time is insane. Oh yeah remember the prescription for my daughter. I paid $35 the plan paid $13. Wooo Hoooo! I pay more now for my health plan and took the top one they offer and then this.For those who are going to respond and tell me they are 2 sep things , I already know.I''m sure the Higherarchy of the company don''t have this problem.

 

[cavalier]

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On 6/28/2003 7:06:36 AM thepoohbear wrote:

I went to get a prescription for my daughter a few weeks ago.Now I was used to the 5,10 copay. Now I know that it had doubled , but I did''nt know they have a list that you pay even more for.This got even crazier when I went on the internet to reorder my prescription on AdvanceRX.com which has a tie in with the company. Before I would send them my prescription for 90 days with 3 refills and it would cost $10 for each prescription. I went on and asked for the same order and was told $70 per prescription total $280 per year.Now I know $10 was really cheap but $70 each time is insane. Oh yeah remember the prescription for my daughter. I paid $35 the plan paid $13. Wooo Hoooo! I pay more now for my health plan and took the top one they offer and then this.For those who are going to respond and tell me they are 2 sep things , I already know.I''m sure the Higherarchy of the company don''t have this problem.

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I just refilled 6 prescriptions all for the 90 supply and the cheapest one is $60, some more. Do the math, $1440 a year minimum, there are a couple others too that are not ready for refill so add even more to the yearly total. Then throw in the co-pays and increased contribution just to belong and you have our new healthcare plan. I heard one of the big wigs saying a few months back the employees should still pay more because it costs them too much. I have worked in sweat shops that had healthcare programs that were infinitely better. The healthcare plan we were forced to swallow is fine for a family that has no health problems but woe to the employees like myself who are dealing with major health issues in the family. I am thankful I even have a plan and wanted to point out that your $280 would look good to a guy in my position. I was late getting into the flex spending so I lose on the tax end of it this year to boot. If you are reading this Piney whinny Bob, I am not bitching, I am stating solid facts of life working at the U, and no I will not quit.

 

[MarkMyWords]

These types of complaints need to be elevated to the various levels of Government for effective health care reform and a national health care plan. US employees are not the only ones being effected this way. My parents own their own business and it costs them 1,200.00 a month to insure just my parents. And their insurance is no better then ours.

 

[cavalier]

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On 6/28/2003 10:49:06 AM MarkMyWords wrote:

These types of complaints need to be elevated to the various levels of Government for effective health care reform and a national health care plan. US employees are not the only ones being effected this way. My parents own their own business and it costs them 1,200.00 a month to insure just my parents. And their insurance is no better then ours.

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My sister and brother-in law own a machine shop which, of course, unlike U has just a few employees. They give their employees a healthcare plan that costs them only a few hundred dollars per year no matter what their health issues are. But then again they are not covering 30 plus thousand employees. I realize I am not alone, what about retired people with no job and problems like we have in our family. Corporate America and the government really should address this very serious problem, it''s completely of hand, I know, I live it!

 

[gilbertguy]

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On 6/28/2003 10:49:06 AM MarkMyWords wrote:

These types of complaints need to be elevated to the various levels of Government for effective health care reform and a national health care plan. US employees are not the only ones being effected this way. My parents own their own business and it costs them 1,200.00 a month to insure just my parents. And their insurance is no better then ours.

Reform? The Congress just approved $400 billion for the largest ''entitlement'' for drugs....the gov''t (ie. taxpayers) should not be our babysitters, cradle to grave handouts was not the intention of our founding fathers....

 

[cavalier]

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On 6/28/2003 11:41:15 AM gilbertguy wrote:

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On 6/28/2003 10:49:06 AM MarkMyWords wrote:

These types of complaints need to be elevated to the various levels of Government for effective health care reform and a national health care plan. US employees are not the only ones being effected this way. My parents own their own business and it costs them 1,200.00 a month to insure just my parents. And their insurance is no better then ours.

Reform? The Congress just approved $400 billion for the largest ''entitlement'' for drugs....the gov''t (ie. taxpayers) should not be our babysitters, cradle to grave handouts was not the intention of our founding fathers....


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Pray you maintain perfect health throughout your entire life then die peacefully.
Not everyone has the means or brains to acquire a PhD or skills to run their own business or even health to accomplish any of these things. Reality gets in your way of thinking.
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[MarkMyWords]

Bob,

You can''t tell me that you don''t think the current health care system is severly broken, can you? The entire insurance industry needs to be the next focus of attack by Congress. The things they do make absolutely no sense.

As an example, I had surgery a couple years ago. The total cost of my health care needs were just over 12,000.00 for two days of hospital care and the surgery. Now because I had insurance, the total cost to my insurance company was only 6,000.00 So either the Hopitals and Doctors overinflated my bill by 50%, or my insurance company negotiated one hell of a rate. Does it make sense that if I don''t have health care insurance that I have to pay twice the amount as an insurance company?

Another example, not related to health care. I recently went from owning a home to renting a townhouse. I contacted my insurance agent to change my policy from homeowners to renters insurance. My house was insured for structure replacement and 150,000 in contents and my annual payment was 265.00. When I went to get renters insurance, for 75,000 in contents (divorce will do that to you), it was going ot cost me 350.00! I went from insuring a 4 bedroom, 2000 sq ft house, with 150,000 in contents for 265.00 to having to insure just 1/2 the contents and no structure for 85.00 more. How does that make sense? Same area of town, similar structure, etc. You know what the insurance company will tell you? well you are a renter now and we find renters to be more transient and less likely to stay with the same insurance company. (I have been with the same insurance company for 15 years now.) So we have to be able to recoup our costs for any claims in a shorter period of time. To me that is UTTER BS. The insurance insdustry is riddled with problems, even worse then our industry. The only difference is that they make a profit at it.

 

[LavMan]

Until they take the profit out of healthcare costs will sky rocket.

Why does the same drug cost way less in Canada and Mexico?

 

[cavalier]

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On 6/28/2003 12:23:54 PM PineyBob wrote:


Jeezus,
You just don''t get it do you? The government is YOU!! when you vote for people who plunder our treasury in the name of the elderly and the children you subject your children to massive drops in income in order to fund your hair brained social safety net. You mortgage entire generations future.

You don''t like it when ALPA eats their young but it is perfectly OK for you to vote for socialist fools who will bankrupt us all. One of my very closest business associates died waiting for a liver in Canada where everything is free (supposedly). She spent several years YES YEARS waiting under that marvelous FREE system. She needed a liver and she died waiting for one. But hey the care up until she died was indeed free. Think she would be willing to be $500,000 in debt and bankrupt in the USA or dead with free health care in Canada?? She prayed to get back into the states but she was unhirable. Hmmm $1,440.00 in increased prescription cost annually or the prospect of death under a free system? That''s a hell of a bargain

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Ok IKE...I Know Everything, it''s a real steal and I thank God everyday of my existence that I am blessed enough to pay whatever healthcare bill is set on my desk. You''re totally correct and I apologize for daring to go against your wisdom, how foolish of me, it must be the strain I am under trying to pay these healthcare bills I am buried in.

 

[gilbertguy]

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On 6/28/2003 12:32:44 PM LavMan wrote:


Until they take the profit out of healthcare costs will sky rocket.

Why does the same drug cost way less in Canada and Mexico?

Because U.S companies put millions of dollars into R&D to develop and market the drugs....the footwork has already been done for the rest of the world.....

 

[MarkMyWords]

Thanks for the lesson Bob, but what is more likely to happen? The Government eliminating the personal income tax or their interference in another industry. Something has to change. The system in place now is horribly broken and will continue to distress companies and individuals.

 

[LavMan]

Gilbert it is the same drugs manufactured by the same companies, and the drug companies put less then 7% if thier profits into r&d.

 

[PITbull]

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On 6/28/2003 10:49:06 AM MarkMyWords wrote:

These types of complaints need to be elevated to the various levels of Government for effective health care reform and a national health care plan. US employees are not the only ones being effected this way. My parents own their own business and it costs them 1,200.00 a month to insure just my parents. And their insurance is no better then ours.

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Mark,

I don't know what your parents income is per month or year, but U employees are in concessionary agreements for 6 years at least, with health care contributions increasing every year.

The medical coverages is what AFA will go into discussions on July 2 with management and the benefits department.

I am not concerned with what other folks pay in the US for private health care. If Corporations want a break THEY need to get new legislation passed. We never agreed contractually to CHANGE drastically the medical "Summary plan Description". This is what will be argued on July 2.

major improvements to our coverages and that damn "one step, two step" crap they call prescription coverage, or WE WILL TAKE THIS TO THE PICKET LINES AGAIN.

 

[PITbull]

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On 6/28/2003 9:44:03 PM MarkMyWords wrote:

Thanks for the lesson Bob, but what is more likely to happen? The Government eliminating the personal income tax or their interference in another industry. Something has to change. The system in place now is horribly broken and will continue to distress companies and individuals.

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Mark,

I agree with you regarding the insurance companys, and how it is "out of control".

 

[PITbull]

Bob,

No point in health care services if no one can afford it.

Point here, Your company is out of hand with throwing the cost over to its employees to absorb (as if they can), and U is not only crazy, but they have violated our contracts AGAIN by changing the health care coverages. Don't get me wrong...its great for a company to have cost savings, BUT, a management can not just "help themselves" to the cost savings that WERE NOT AGREED TO NOR RATIFIED BY THE MEMBERSHIP. U is "self insured", and they dictate what they will cover for their employees. You and I both know that if employees can not afford the medications or the out of pocket expenses for themselves and their families, they will not access the health care system for their medical needs, even when they desparately need to go. I already see this from speaking to many employees at U. We will end up being "one sick" group of employees. Its a fight I will welcome with this mangement along with the 5%.