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Hassin Bin Sober

(26,272 posts)
Tue Sep 17, 2019, 09:56 PM Sep 2019

Yeah, about that employer health plan everyone loves: Whole Foods to cut health-care for 1900


Whole Foods to cut health-care benefits for 1,900 part-time employees starting next year

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/12/whole-foods-to-cut-healthcare-for-1900-part-time-employees-in-2020.html

Amazon-owned Whole Foods will be withdrawing medical benefits for hundreds of its part-time workers starting Jan. 1, 2020, the company said Thursday.

In the past, employees needed to work at least 20 hours a week to buy into the health-care plan. Now they will need to work at least 30 hours. Less than 2% of its workforce, or 1,900 employees, will no longer be eligible for medical coverage, under the new policy, the company said.

The news was first reported by Business Insider.

“In order to better meet the needs of our business and create a more equitable and efficient scheduling model, we are moving to a single-tier part-time structure,” a company spokesperson said in an email. “We are providing Team Members with resources to find alternative healthcare coverage options, or to explore full-time, healthcare-eligible positions starting at 30 hours per week. All Whole Foods Market Team Members continue to receive employment benefits including a 20% in-store discount.”




Oh they get to keep their discount for shopping at Whole Foods. How generous!

I wonder if they take the purchases out of their checks like Menards does?
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
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crazytown

(7,277 posts)
1. Because Amazon isn't profitable enough?
Tue Sep 17, 2019, 10:04 PM
Sep 2019

Obscene.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
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Voltaire2

(12,610 posts)
2. Why rock the boat?
Tue Sep 17, 2019, 10:06 PM
Sep 2019

Everyone loves the health insurance they don’t have because their employer cut their hours below the limit.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
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emmaverybo

(8,144 posts)
3. But would M4ALL come to these employee's rescue? When?
Tue Sep 17, 2019, 10:18 PM
Sep 2019
If I were to vote in a presidential
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Joe Biden
 

Voltaire2

(12,610 posts)
7. It would cover everyone.
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 08:51 PM
Sep 2019

Rollout would be over four years.

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emmaverybo

(8,144 posts)
10. I don't think the employees can wait 4 years, so in the meantime?
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 08:58 PM
Sep 2019
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Voltaire2

(12,610 posts)
11. Under the current system they are screwed.
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 08:59 PM
Sep 2019

Forever.

So hows about we seriously reform the system and liberate health insurance from employment?

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
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emmaverybo

(8,144 posts)
12. There is already some insurance not related to employment--Medicaid. And some of us have
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 09:34 PM
Sep 2019

Retirement benefits provided insurance at a low (or no) premium. Also, if we revive and improve
Obamacare, these employees would be eligible for subsidy.

What I am trying to say is that IF M4All is ever implemented, it will be some years. We need to
work on options to it in the meantime.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Voltaire2

(12,610 posts)
13. So to repeat: if we do not seriously reform the current system
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 02:59 PM
Sep 2019

workers will continue to be dependent on the benevolence of their employers for insurance. The ACA is not comprehensive, depends on state participation for the subsidies, and retains the crap-fest of networks, deductibles, co-pays, mystery bills etc that make out of pocket expenses a huge part of per-capita health care costs.

Your concerned example is a permanent state under the ACA, so I don't see how a 4-year phase in, which would by the way pick up older part time workers immediately, is an argument against M4A, it is an argument in favor of a more aggressive roll-out. I would be fine with that.

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primary today, I would vote for:
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emmaverybo

(8,144 posts)
14. Well, WHILE we are reforming...all or nothing if the all isn't available leaves us with nothing.
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 05:16 PM
Sep 2019

There will be no M4All in 2020. There will be no instant roll-out.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
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George II

(67,782 posts)
4. Thank goodness they have the ACA to fall back on.
Tue Sep 17, 2019, 10:22 PM
Sep 2019
If I were to vote in a presidential
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Voltaire2

(12,610 posts)
8. Except if they can't afford it or their states opted out and they really can't afford it.
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 08:55 PM
Sep 2019

If you are working a part time job it is very difficult to afford to buy insurance, and that insurance comes with deductibles co-pays, out of network charges and mystery wtf bills. Per capita out of pocket costs aside from premiums are around 6500.00.

ACA is better than what we had before ACA, but it is not universal comprehensive healthcare.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
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Hoyt

(54,770 posts)
5. Wouldn't it be neat if we had a Public Option that would allow an employer in that
Tue Sep 17, 2019, 10:38 PM
Sep 2019

situation to say, “Very few businesses can afford to proved healthcare coverage for part-time workers, but we will compromise by giving those who choose to work only 20 hours a week $300 toward the ACA Public Option.”

Yeah,maybe MFA would be better. But that isn’t going to happen any time soon, no matter how much Sanders yells about “his damn bill” or Warren promises. That “big idea” ain’t happening until a bunch of people choose a Public Option over their employer health plan. Then, MFA will happen.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Voltaire2

(12,610 posts)
9. Except many wouldn't even subsidize premiums for a public option.
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 08:57 PM
Sep 2019

Amazon could have offered their part time workers a more expensive premium, which would be the equivalent of subsidizing the theoretical public option, but they didn't. They maximized shareholder value and forked their part time employees.

Billionaires gotta do what billionaires do.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
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Wellstone ruled

(34,661 posts)
6. You are seeing the new model in
Tue Sep 17, 2019, 11:10 PM
Sep 2019

the Grocery Industry. Surprised it has taken this many years before someone broke ranks and implemented it. From here on the Major Retailers will use this as leverage against every worker in Retail Groceries nation wide.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

TexasBushwhacker

(20,043 posts)
15. Back before Amazon owned them ...
Thu Sep 19, 2019, 08:00 PM
Sep 2019

I worked for WF in Austin for 5.5 years (2005 - 2010). They had a pretty good deal on health insurance. As soon as you had worked 500 hours you were eligible. Full timers got to 500 hours in about 3 months. Part timers took closer to 6 months. Once you qualified though, the coverage was the same no matter what schedule you worked. It was also free for the employee, then after 5 years your family was covered too.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
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