Who here can even afford health insurance offered by employer?

[Sequoia]

I added up the lowest cost for family plus dental and it's like $400 a month! So that would take $200 a paycheck and how would I pay rent or food. Gifts, vacation, holidays...? Forget all that. I just see no way how I can afford it.

[Cronus Protagonist]

1. I can't afford health insurance and I'm self employed

I'm relying on no accidents and good genes at this point.

[soothsayer]

8. same here, but finally broke down and got it for like $189 a month

[TheFarseer]

11. I feel for self employed

My dad is self employed and he was paying $500-something/mo for just himself and mom a few years back. My sister went off their healthcare and it went up over $100 the same year!!!!! I don't even want to know what they are paying now. On the bright side, it's making my republican dad think that national health care couldn't possibly be worse.

[TheFarseer]

2. Mine is $36/month

that I will go for. At one job it was $200 per paycheck or per month, I don't remember cause either way there was no way I was paying it, for one single 20-something.

[warrens]

19. Mine's $230 a month for me and my daughter

And I pay the first $2000 in bills, although they don't actually make you pay it all. They spread it out a bit. But at least $2000, plus at least 20 percent after that comes out of my pocket. Copay is $20 for a doctor, $10 and up for prescriptions, and $75 for the ER.

[China_cat]

3. That's what it costs just for my husband.

I'm uninsurable for anything less than what one of the Walton kids makes per year.

No dental, no vision, no prescription for that money, either.

[ThomCat]

4. My employer only offers

insurance for the individual employees. No family plans at all. No spouses, no kids, nobody.

He's already made the decision that he apparently doesn't want to have any employees who are married with kids in order to save money.

[seabeyond]

7. it is killing EMPLOYERS. especially small business

the right knows it. they are making it as hard for a company as possible to offer insurance.

[lumberjack_jeff]

73. Didn't Repubs remove the business tax deduction for med insurance?

[dsc]

20. an honest question here

why should your employer pay you thosands more a year than the single person next to you for the same job? That is what he or she is defacto doing if s/he is subsidizing your family insurance plan but only paying a single insurance for the employee next to you.

[warrens]

26. By that logic, I'm being ripped off because I'm divorced and only have one

kid. The idea is that kids need insurance, and it USED to be part of the employment deal that you could take care of your family. The single people, statistically speaking, will be needing that "perk" in the future when THEY have kids.

[dsc]

29. I literally can't get married

and the liklihood of children is remote for me. I fail to see why I should be paid not just a little less but a huge amount less than other people doing the same job in perpetuity. We are talking about over 10% difference here in total compensation, not just a little bit. I favor national health care, but barring that, I think a system in which a single person's premiums are paid but the rest falls on the employee is fair. Otherwise give me some other benefit of an equal amount. Say extra days off or something.

[SmokingJacket]

32. Yet another reason we need to legalize gay marriage. nt

[dsc]

34. I agree that would help alot with the potential unfairness

but I still would have some problem with this. Once upon a time health care was a cheap benefit and this really wasn't much of an issue but now it really is. Depending on wage level this can amount to a very significant differential in total compensation from one employee to the next for no other reason that one chooses to be married and the other doesn't. That really does seem unfair.

[SmokingJacket]

42. True, but at least the benefit would be legally *accessible* to

everyone.

I think an ideal system would be one in which an employee could add a certain number of adult people to his or her benefit for a discounted fee: could be their mom, their insurance-less friend, their husband, or whatever.

I don't think "marriage" should carry any more benefit than any other relationship, frankly.

I do think children, since they can't work, should be covered in all instances.

[blonndee]

75. I agree with you.

I know that people with families have their own difficulties and challenges, but as a single with no special desire to be married or have children, it does sometimes seem unfair and as though I'm being penalized for being single. It's also much more difficult to "make it" on only one income already.

[ThomCat]

27. Given that I'm the one person is this company

who is the least likely to ever get married, your question has it a bit backwards.

But to answer it honestly, even if he paid exactly the same amount towards each person's insurance and allowed people with spouses and kids to pay the difference to get family plans that would be a big improvement. As it is now, we have two people who recently got married, and they're both going to be leaving before they are ready to have kids. It's going to suck to lose two good coworkers that way, but they're going to find someplace else to work that will offer better insurance.

[dsc]

30. I admit to misunderstanding your post

I have to say I see no upside for failing to offer the plans at all. I think my state has it right. They pay 100% of a single person's plan and other employees pay the differential if they want the family plan.

[Momgonepostal]

43. Regardless of whether a company pays for...

family members to be insured, they still pay varying amounts for individuals based on their age, and possibly other criteria as well. My inlaws have a business that pays for health plans for their employees. I know they pay more to cover the older employees than for the younger ones.

So, is that fair? You may be doing the same job as the 50 something person in the next cube, but the company is likely paying considerably more to cover them. Should the company just pay the 20 something rate for everyone and tell the older employees they need to make up the rest or TS?

[dsc]

64. They shouldn't be

that is the whole point of a group plan. You don't get charged based on health factors.

[Momgonepostal]

70. Maybe not health factors, but age yes

I was talking to my FIL about this and he said his most expensive employee insurance wise was a guy in his 60's, who ironically had worked there 40+ years and only taken one or two sick days the entire time. Based on his age, the premiums for he and his wife were over $1000 a month, and this was several years ago.

[alarimer]

74. At my employer, the state only pays the employee's share

If you want to cover spouses or children, you pay more. As a result I do not pay any premiums so my employer at least is not unfair to the unmarried. I would have assumed a lot of employers were like this: the employee pays part or all of the premium for spouses and/or kids. I have no idea if this is universally true though.

[lumberjack_jeff]

76. Take the logic a step further. Why should you pay for schools?

[Momgonepostal]

37. That's horrible!

He could at least offer it, and just pay a portion. What a tightwad. Nice family values.

[htuttle]

5. We have a cheap single plan, and a really expensive family plan

I'm on the single plan, but can't afford to insure the rest of my family.

According to the income brackets I've seen, I'm supposed to be 'middle income'.

[Sequoia]

14. Yes, it'd be cheap for just me. But

I have a child (can't go on school trips without ins.)and my husband sure could use some coverage. I haven't had a Pap or seen a doctor in like....5 or 6 years. If I go and they discover something I'll just get sicker faster and then...hello St. Peter...wait...what are those horns on your head and who cut off the AC?

[seabeyond]

6. before dissing the employer. hubby owns business, he CANNOT

afford the healthcare to employee. it almost doubled in 2005 from 700 per family to 1200. one of the reasons (though many) my repug hubby voted kerry for 2004. he was really interested in what kerry proposedfor small business in health care. he still has health care, but we had to increase co pay and deduction to keep it that low. it isnt just tough on the employee. the whole system is fucked up

[donco6]

12. People don't realize how much employers pay.

We pay $365.90 per month for each employee who qualifies for health - basically anyone over 4 hrs/day. It's not prorated on pay grade, so smallest to highest paid gets the same benefit. It went up 18% this year.

[ikojo]

60. Some in congress want to make employee benefits

such as the portion the employer pays for health insurance, a taxable benefit. They want to count it as wages. I don't know about most on this board but I cannot afford to pay more payroll taxes on the portion of my healthcare paid for by my employer.

[OllieLotte]

18. Yep.

It's brutal for employers too.

[newyawker99]

66. Hi OllieLotte!!

Welcome to DU!!

[donco6]

9. Our lowest family plan is $577.88

That's without dental.

Employee + One is $316.37. Dental family is another $63.90.

The district pays first person single - $321.05

[Vinca]

10. It could be worse.

The last quote we got was $1,000 a month with a $5,000 deductible, then 80% coverage, no outpatient coverage, no dental, probably no hospital bed if you're admitted. I've given up calling the insurance agent. It's hopeless. In my wildest dreams I never thought I'd find myself unable to afford health care.

[drbtg1]

13. I pay it 100% for my employees

If an employee of mine doesn't get health insurance from their spouse's job, I pay for it. No salary deductions. Costs me a fortune, and this year has gotten so much worse, but quality employees are worth it.

[GumboYaYa]

16. I do the same. The past few years have been brutal and it has

cut into my profits, but it is worth every penny to know that my employees and their families all have access to decent health care. We also pay the full costs for our employee's families to participate in the plan.

[drbtg1]

39. Good for you.

Maybe you and I should take over Wal-Mart and show 'em how it's done.

[Sequoia]

22. I'll come work for you then!

As long as you don't live in a snowy area!

[drbtg1]

33. Got snow here. I guess I'm SOL

I'm not hiring now anyway.

[Sequoia]

54. Heh..heh...that's what they all say.

Good luck.

[VOX]

23. Good for you, drbtg1!!!

That's really a generous thing to do in many ways, and you're to be commended for putting such a high value on your employees.

Thank you, for being a good soul!

[drbtg1]

35. I also stock the beer here. Helps keep a friendly atmosphere.

Your beer toast smilie reminded me of that.

(Note: after hours use only!!! I know other doctors who aren't so picky and I don't want to be confused with them.)

[Sequoia]

56. Wow..you must be Charles Dickens reincarnated.

He cared about children and people working and how can we forget young Scrooge and his boss Feziwig (sp) throwing a party with dancing and kegs. I worked for a guy who stocked the frige with soda. As much as you could guzzle.

[ikojo]

62. You're a DOCTOR and you treat your

employees that well?

I have MANY years experience in the insurance industry and would make a good office manager and I LOVE REAL winters! Well, I did until I got my scooter.

[drbtg1]

77. I'm a doctor with plenty of experience...

...working for asshole bosses. I've had bosses who thought nothing of making me take the fall for their mistakes, make jokes about my grandparent's death, jokes about Auschwitz, jokes about a woman who found a lump in her breast, "playfully" suggest to a woman that she had a role in the death of her husband in a car accident, try to get me sign a contract which allowed him to wait 5 weeks to pay me if he had to pay for a ski vacation or whatever, and someone who got pissed when patients started cancelling appointments on 9/11/01.

Now that I'm on the other side of the desk, things are a little different. After all that, it's not that hard to treat employees well. (To be honest, I try not to call them employees. Usually "co-workers" or something like that.)

[ikojo]

61. What kind of business do you run?

I work for an HMO and still have to pay for a portion of my insurance coverage.

[drbtg1]

71. Dentist

[Pugee]

15. I worked for county government and had state group insurance

It was 1200 for a family per month, tho the agency picked up 68% of the cost. So our taxes are already paying for health care. (I have been laid off 2 months, so now my daughter and I have no insurance now)

[VOX]

17. Gotta have it. I'm a public employee, but it ain't cheap: $315/mo.

It's going up next year from $276/mo. to $315/mo. for the entire family. My wife's self-employed, so we've got to have my health insurance. Our son's on it, too, for another 2 1/2 years.

At least it's good insurance, when we need it. And in the last two years, we've really ***needed*** it.

On edit: To show how high the insurance really is, the state pays a whopping portion of the group plan (don't have the exact figure in front of me, but it's something like $900/mo.)-- the $315 is just my share. While this is a better deal than many folks' situation, if my wife and I didn't have our two salaries going, we'd have a very rough time of it.

[juajen]

21. Hubbie and I are on SS

Our medicare premiums, drug benefit premiums and medigap insurance cost $500 per month. I won't even tell you the percentage of our total ss benefits that this is. This is horrible, and, no, we cannot afford it.

[dsc]

24. I am a state employee and my state pays my entire premium

but I would be in deep trouble if I had to add a spouse or kid.

[StraightDope]

25. Health Insurance?

Health Insurance?



Do me a favor, count yourself DAMNED lucky to even have health insurace available to you, regardless of the cost. At this point, if I got an incurable illness, A. I'd be as good as dead, and B. I wouldn't be able to afford to go to a doctor for something as frivolous as a routine check-up, so I wouldn't know about it in the first place.

Health Insurance...

P.S. Don't be offended. Just be glad that you HAVE health insurance, even if paying for it is killing you.

[CrispyQ]

28. I am fortunate to work for a man who pays 80% of our health & dental.

Look at these prices! And this is just health, not dental. Who the hell can afford over $1000 a month for medical? Oh, that's right -- RICH PEOPLE!!!

Aetna Standard Plan pricing:
336.61 = Employee
740.55 = Employee + Spouse
673.24 = Employee + Child
1,009.85 = Employee + Family

[silverweb]

31. Here!

Exactly the same situation you're in. Fortunately, I live near the border, so I can just skip over to Tijuana to see a doctor when absolutely necessary for $30 a visit and buy regular meds for a fraction of what they'd be here. I'm acutely aware that most people don't have that option, so am always pushing for universal health care.

Here in California, we can generate money for the _Health Care for All_ initiative by using http://www.hca.prodege.com for web searches instead of Google or other search engines. (I use Google as a backup/supplement.)

Schwarzenutter recently vetoed our universal health care legislation, but we have not given up.

[Momgonepostal]

36. We're going to have to

My husband just started a new job and we're taking the health benefits, even though our share for medical, dental and vision will be over $500 a month.

As horrible as that amount sounds, and he's a teacher, so that's a pretty major percentage of his take home pay, we feel like we have to do it. We recently had a pretty bad uninsured set of hospital visits. It's going to take a long time to dig out from under that mess. Another incedent like that would financially ruin us.

[Bunny]

38. I am so very very fortunate.

My employer provides a "cadillac" health care plan that also covers spouses and children. I pay approximately $22 every two weeks for the plan. There's a $15 co-pay for doctor appointments (including specialists, for which I do not need a referral), and $10 and $20 co-pays for prescriptions. It's really a godsend for me. I could probably never leave my job now just because of the insurance - I'm quite sure I couldn't go elsewhere and find anything comparable.

I pay about $24 every two weeks for our dental insurance, and it's a sucky plan. There is no orthodontic coverage, and I've had to put braces on both of my girls. So that was kind of expensive. We don't have vision insurance at all, and me and both my girls are blind as bats, so I spend a lot of money on glasses and contacts each year. But overall, our health care plan more than makes up for those other expenses. No complaints here.

[Justyce]

40. Single mother, nearly $400/mth for my daughter

through my job for medical & dental -- it's good insurance, but very hard to afford.... I refuse to let her go w/o insurance though -- it's always been my fear that if I did, something bad might happen to her & the hospitals would turn her away. It's not like it used to be -- if they can't make a bundle off of you, they likely won't treat you.

[Momgonepostal]

41. They'll treat you, they just bill you up the wazoo

We've had this happen very recently.

[TrogL]

44. I can - my share's about $39 / month

with the Canadian exchange rate, that works out to about 28 greenbacks.

The Democratic party could run on that issue alone and win.

[razors edge]

45. I have to by court order, child support.

Not that I wouldn't if I didn't have to, but I'm sure this affects alot of people who pay much more than I do. Mine is only 120/mo for full family.

[Reciprocity]

46. That's a steal!

We pay $800.00 (half of our pay) a month no dental.

[greccogirl]

47. When I left my employer

last year, I was playing 17.00 a week for family coverage and $6.00 for dental.

[MissB]

48. We pay $450 a month for medical and dental coverage.

It comes out of the paycheck, pretax $. We also set aside between $120 and $200 a month in a medical reimbursement account, depending on what we're predicting in medical costs for the year. The reimbursement money comes out of pretax dollars as well, and is used to claim things like doctor visit copays, prescription copays and new glasses for dh. His employer lets him spend it all in one chunk if necessary, even if we haven't accumulated the enough to cover the expense (for instance, I spent it all in January when I had Lasik surgery, and we're still getting the reimbursement dollars deducted from the paycheck).

If we were just starting out, that $450 would be unmanageable. He's been working for the same company for nearly 20 years, so his salary has risen steadily in the 11+ years we've been married. If we'd had kids in our 20s instead of 30s, we'd be in a much tighter spot than we are today.

Local vacations here, btw. I haven't gone out of state for a vacation in years. Usually it is a camping vacation.

[high density]

49. I'm paying about $120 every two weeks for just myself...

I'm skipping dental insurance at the moment. My employer and I split the cost 50/50, so it's about $6000 a year for health insurance.

[Digit]

50. I recently accepted a job offer with sucky pay, but great benefits

My employer pays for Blue Cross/Blue Shield medical, plus they pay for dental, vision, and even a life insurance policy. It only took me a year and a half of unemployment to even find a job, but right now I count myself as very lucky.
If you want the family plan, you pay the difference.

Of course, there is a 90 day waiting period, and the commute is hell, but still I am relieved to have SOMETHING.

[bobbieinok]

51. in 2003-4 I had a returning student, married with 2 children

The family was covered by his wife's insurance (she worked for a school district). I freaked when I learned they paid ca $1000/month for health insurance.

I made a point of discussing this with the students in that class (after asking him if that was OK). I said they probably were not aware of health insurance costs and they needed to know this.

A woman in the class was from Canada and added her comments about the situation in Canada.

I hope some of them (most from very conservative, religious families) started thinking about reality.

[Solo_in_MD]

52. My wife is a teacher in northern CA

Fully paid health, dental and vision, even when she retires. Great deal. Allows me to freelance without worrying about benefits.

[Momgonepostal]

59. That's a great deal!

My husband is also a teacher in Northern CA and I don't know of any district in our county that is that generous. She's very lucky!

[tammywammy]

53. I can

It's $18/week for medical, dental & vision. For a single person.

If it was me + a child, it was going to be around $25/week (I believe, we just had the insurance meeting a couple of weeks ago).

We switched providers this year. It was going to double from $16/week to $32/week for myself, if we had stayed with the previous provider. So, the company switched to a better plan (to Aetna PPO from Pacific Care PPO) and the increase was minimal at best.

edited to add: this is a company with less than 100 employees, it hovers around 75.

[LostinVA]

55. My health is quite good, but my dental is HORRIBLE

As some of the crumbling teeth in my mouth can attest to. There's no way I can afford anything more than a cleaning.

[Vox Acerbus]

57. Good Lord that's a lot!

I am fortunate in that I pay for only myself through my employer. Less than $100 a month.

I am actually seeing EVERYONE I can fit in this calendar year in anticipation of having to reduce my premiums next year if I take a more tolerable job with a company that's less forgiving of insurance costs.

So far in the past month, visits to the : general practitioner, OB-GYN, dermatologist, dentist and eye doctor. Getting pretty much good bills of health but stocking up on eyeglasses and other items so I won't have to spend next year.

I can't imagine a $400 a month premium. I wish you the best, and feel much more fortunate about my own insurance now... Wish I could share the good fortune...

[ikojo]

58. I'm single so my total cost each pay

(and I get paid every other week) is around $35 and it includes vision, medical and dental. Fewer and fewer employers are subsidizing any part of the cost for family coverage. They tend to subsidize a good portion of the individual employee's coverage but more and more the employee is paying the full premium or at least MOST of it when he/she elects family coverage. I don't know how people with kids and spouses afford life in the US these days...

Most families have two cars or even a car for every driver in the family....the payments plus the insurance on the cars would be enough to send me to the poor house.

[Dem_4_Life]

63. My employer has good benefits and I am happy...

I am single and pay $35 for medical (PPO or HMO, the employee can choose), $1 for dental and $3 for vision.

The family plans are $50 for medical and dental and vision is the same.

[RebelOne]

65. I'm fortunate, as mine is only about $96 a month.

I have life insurance, medical insurance, dental insurance and eye care.

[Saphire]

67. Oh, I can afford mine, just not for my children.e/m

[leftofthedial]

68. no job

I barely squeak by buying my own insurance and my kids'.

But I can't afford to actually use it, except for an occasional prescription refill.

[theHandpuppet]

69. At least some of you can get offered benefits

Due to the hateful anti-gay legislation recently passed by the Virginia legislature, my partner's company was no longer allowed to offer us the joint health benefits we had for years. I no longer have health insurance and can't afford to buy a policy because with MS no insurance company will cover me for a price we could possibly afford.

Thanks, Virginia. Make sure you re-elect your racist, gay-hating office holders so people like my partner and myself won't threaten your version of the moral high ground. Here's to you:

BTW, here's another for those DUers who think gay rights are simply a "diversion" or a "side issue":

[lumberjack_jeff]

72. IMHO medical insurance isn't discretionary.

You gotta have it.

Perhaps someone smarter can chime in, but my understanding is that, without medical insurance, if I die after a prolonged illne$$, my life insurance will be obliged to pay the hospital debt.

I don't intend to leave my kids penniless.