How many of you consider Health insurance when contemplating

[greenbriar]

a certain job?

How many include it in the benefits package???


WELL....not for long

Health costs facing change

Bush, GOP are pushing a plan to switch more of the burden for insurance premiums to workers.

BY RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR

Los Angeles Times


WASHINGTON - Emboldened by their success at the polls, the Bush administration and Republican leaders in Congress think they have a new opportunity to move the nation away from the system of employer-provided health insurance that has covered most working Americans for the last half-century.

In its place, they want to erect a system in which workers -- instead of looking to employers for health insurance -- would take personal responsibility for protecting themselves and their families: They would buy high-deductible "catastrophic" insurance policies to cover major medical needs, then pay routine costs with money set aside in tax-sheltered health savings accounts.

more...


http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/nation/10784754.h...

[Pithlet]

1. Ugh. Here we go.

I hope every idiot who voted for Bush regrets it now. Thanks, assholes.

[n2mark]

2. Just wonder how this will affect my pension

as my pension kicks in some money toward health insurance.

[imenja]

3. you have to wonder

how they can be so immoral on so many issues. You wouldn't think it would be possible for any government to screw the people in absolutely every policy they promote, yet Bush manages it.

[The_Casual_Observer]

4. "In its place"

The trend is not to have ANY health insurance at all. This "plan" would seem reasonable to somebody who had been raked over the coals at a company who offered no insurance. However, it wouldn't look to good at all to anyone who works for the government or defense industries.

The nice times enjoyed in the 50's-80's seem to be over. The people of that generation had been through the depression, knew what they didn't want to happen and fixed up the system to take care of themselves. Since then it has all been slipping away.

[Justin54B20L]

5. To anyone who thinks their health insurance costs will go down by this...

Even if the overall costs to the insurance agencies will go down because of this, do you think that they'll lower their prices to reflect that change and cut into their own increasing profit margins?

"Sweet Clyde, laugh derisively at them."

[illflem]

6. As long as the money my employer was paying

for my insurance gets added to my salary I'm all for it.
I've had employer provided Blue Cross for 22 years and haven't used it even once, that would be a nice chunk of change.

[Mel]

9. well that's an excuse I got

from a former employer as to why my $salary was so low they included insurance rates as part of my salary.
I doubt very much that your or any company will give us big fat raises if they no longer pay insurance for their employees.

BTW I hated that job and stayed way longer than I should of due to the good insurance. I didn't even use it that much. :eyes:

[Pithlet]

10. That's going to happen.

We're all going to get raises because our employers no longer have to pay for our insurance. LOL!

[Habeus9]

7. never think about it

With my job, I always get free or very very cheap healthcare

[ultraist]

8. What type of job is that? Government?

We own our own business so this OP doesn't really apply.

This plan sounds like it's going to end up costing employees a lot more in health care costs.

It's very easy to run up ten grand or so in a year. Catastrophic usually only covers costs thirty grand and up. So instead of paying three or four grand a year in coverage fees, you end up paying a lot more. UNREAL. Bush is such a greedy bastard.

[Habeus9]

11. Physician's

Assistant, got 2 more years of med school.

[napi21]

12. I'm seriously thinking about spending all my $$ so I can qualify

for welfare. They are trying to destroy my life! I don't have a lot of savings, but I will be retiring in 3 years with a little over $100,000 in Mutual Funds. If this idiot Pres we have sontinues on his current path, I will be spending all of that savings on health care! Too much to get the good medicare card, and not enough to care if I do or not.

I think I'll just buy a nicer car, maybe visit my son in Italy, and just spend the whole $100,000.

I can't say I'm wealthy, but I really thought I'd be OK with that amount...until Shrub cam along!!!!

[sandnsea]

19. It's true

Work all your life, put up with shit from the corporate structure, think you're saving something for your old age. Then comes the realization that everything you worked for is just going to be turned over to different corporations for health care.

My mom was very sick for about ten years. She pretty much consistently told me to enjoy my life while I could. She saw this trap with too many people and found it disgusting. She'd tell you, hell yes, go to Italy. And be sure you've got a quality vehicle that will last for twenty years, with proper maintenance. And replace any other appliances as well.

[Eurobabe]

13. I tell you, my only saving grace is that hubby has EU passport

With falling wages, a govt. that does nothing, and a country going down the toilet....it's time to move abroad, in the face of the coming shit storm.

I've had it with the Christians, the homophobes and morons.

[greenbriar]

14. When I make a job decision

health insurance IS a factor

[Pithlet]

20. It is for most workers.

Universal healthcare would take care of that.

[Yupster]

25. I've just completed one year anniversary

with my new company.

I quit my old one after 13 years. One major reason was they took away our health insurance.

My old boss called a couple of days ago to see how things were going.

Sorry boss. I'm not a changer. I'll stick here as long as they treat me fairly.

And I took almost all of my customers with me.

[wadestock]

15. We've heard tonite about our high school children accepting

less freedom.
They are now cultivating a culture which supports the supreme ideals of the RW....work, work, work....meanwhile forget about benefits.

It's the formation of a society which lives to consume, spend, but reaps no real benefits while the upper class takes the profits.

The United States of America....verifying the age old teachings of Marx.

[greenbriar]

16. its sad

isn't it

[antigop]

17. everyone please read this -- and ask yourself if this is the plan?

http://extfile.bah.com/livelink/livelink/78186/?func=doc.Fetch&nodeid=78186

This is from the Booz, Allen, Hamilton (consulting firm)website.

>>
Beyond revolutionizing healthcare benefits,
defined-contribution plans will create 50
to 100 million new individual investment
accounts. The $1 trillion annual money flow
will trigger a convergence of healthcare
benefits and traditional financial services.
>>

[leanin_green]

18. Sounds like the Wal-Mart plan.

Their insurance is catastrophic and you pay for it. When I worked there it cost me $250 at month for my wife and I.

[Bake]

21. Welcome to The Jungle

Upton Sinclair must be rolling over in his grave.

Will the American people be dumbass enough to swallow this bullshit? Sorry, that was a stupid question ...

Bake

[bushcrab]

22. this is why bush wants to e-file everyone's med records

Right now, with employer-provided group plans, the young and healthy help to pay the way for the older folks that, naturally, are more dependent on healthcare. Money is pooled for those who need it. Similar to SS.

Once bush's "individualized" plan grabs hold, it'll be the older folks who suffer bigtime, literally. Health records will undoubtedly become "accessible" to the insurance co.s and the ones deemed high-maintenance or even moderate health risk will be left out in the cold due to ridiculously high premiums. People will be dying earlier as a result--- right after they go broke.

THIS is bush's answer to saving Social Security, not the actual SS privatization plan they're testing the waters with now.

[Maraya1969]

23. I married my last husband for his health insurance

Isn't that pittiful? Well it wasn't completely for the insurance but I would have NEVER married him without it.

:spank:

Did I mention I am divorced?

[jmm]

24. How many people would get regular check ups

and preventative care to help stop "catastrophic" illnesses under this plan? Of course I don't expect this administration to care about people more than businesses :grr:.