Daily Dose of Reality - My Healthcare Premiums

They're paid by my employer for my WHOLE FAMILY. I get an annual 'accounting' of how much my benefits are worth. The healthcare is valued at around eight thousand dollars a year, which seems to be in line with what you guys are paying. The deductible is somewhere around $750 per family.

Sooner or later, whether I get to push my 'univeral health care' meme or not, you'll all end up bailing to my side.

Perhaps all it will take is a few more hundred dollars per month?

Fortunately, my company does pretty well and we are still at the top of the employee benefits food chain. When you see companies like GM going belly up because they can't compete in the WORLD MARKET (because other government's subsidize employee health care), then it will happen.

Enjoy.

> The BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA isn't a "That's funny" bwahahaha. 
> It's one of those "If I don't laugh I'll have to jump off a tall
> building head first" bwahahahahaha's.  (An empty threat, since
> we don't have any tall buildings here.)

> No question, lots of people are worse off -- no health insurance, no
> health care, etc. etc.... this isn't a "Poor Me" post either.

> And please, The Tim -- it is NOT a political post so don't start
> anything.  All political debate will be nuked (although dissenting
> opinions will not).

> I just talked to Blue Shield about changing my deductible.  It's
> currently $750 with a $35 copay, but since I never use my insurance except
> to have cancers taken off my nose, it just isn't worth the $543 that I pay
> every month.

> My daughter is 10 years old and healthy, and hers is $177 every month,
> which is nuts in itself, but at least it isn't putting me in the
> poorhouse.

> I keep private insurance because of (a) habit from being the sole
> self-employed breadwinner for so long, and (b) I never know if the
> "stop sign" in my husband's brain will fail and he'll say
> something he shouldn't and find himself looking for a job (and
> benefits).  (He's very competent and reliable, but his
> "executive function" is screwed up by ADD.)

> Anyhoo, I just found out that in July (when I turn 55), my $750-deductible
> policy will go up to EIGHT HUNDRED AND SIXTY-TWO DOLLARS A MONTH!!!

> That's ONE PERSON for crapsake!!

> I'm cancelling -- takin' my chances that The Husband will hold his
> tongue.  (Huge relief; I feel like I just got a raise!)

> I just wanted to rant because, personally, I find that quite
> unbelievable.  I don't know too many "average" individuals
> who can handle that kind of monthly premium.

> HOLY CRAP!!

> I just got a notice that there's a class-action settlement pending because
> Blue Shield illegally (or something) moved people into "tier 2"
> (or 3 or 4) and raised their premiums.  I figure if we're lucky (me
> and the rest of the "class), we'll get enough for a box of Chicken
> McNuggets and the lawyers will get the other mzillion dollars.

> Thanx for listenin'.

> Luv,