Just got my Ho, Ho, Ho from my Health Insurance Company.

[Dr.Phool]

Medical Mutual just increased my deductible from

Single $500
Family $1000

to

Single $2000
Family $4000

Effective Jan. 1, 2006

Merry fucking x-mas.:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :spank: :spank: :spank: :spank: :spank: :spank: :spank: :spank: :spank:

[SpiralHawk]

1. But think of the good this will do...

The elite NeoCon Crony Republicans will make MASSIVE PROFITS, and then all that money will "trickle down" to the little people (theoretically). So in a couple of years we will all be engorging ourselves on caviar. This is the brilliance of the NeoCon Economic Strategery.

Truly there is cause for Exaltation and Great Rejoicing.

"A rising tide lifts all yachts." - Republican motto

[MSgt213]

2. And I'm so sure your employer gave you a matching salary increase

so you can keep pace.

[Dr.Phool]

10. I'm retired.

I think my disability pension will increase about $40 per month next year.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

3. I got mine from Blue Cross last month...

...a rate increase.

I'm on the H.I.P.A. plan, which is the "penalty plan" you get thrown into if you've ever seen a doctor for anything.

Prior to H.I.P.A. legislation being passed, insurance companies like Blue Cross could decline coverage if you had certain "pre-existing" conditions.

Now they can't, but they put you in the H.I.P.A. plan, which costs exactly double the amount of the same "non-H.I.P.A." plan.

Plus, deductibles are ridiculous. I have a $1500 deductible for chiropractic, which means I basically pay out-of-pocket for ALL of my visits.

[Union Thug]

4. GGEEEEZUS.... I'm floored

Don't know what to say.

Healthcare in this country is a disaster. Sorry... :-(

[China_cat]

6. Healthcare isn't a disaster.

Unless you're rich, it's non-existent.

[Union Thug]

31. I stand corrected. n/t :-)

[LibDemAlways]

5. The actuaries must have figured out

that for most policyholders $2000 for a single and $4000 for a family is all that will be spent on medical care for the year. They are sticking you for those bills while they continue to collect your premiums. Nice scam.

[lonestarnot]

9. Exactly!

[xchrom]

7. i HATE the insurance industry.

carrion eaters -- every one.

[YOY]

44. I prefer to call them 'Parasites'

They produce nothing exportable or even voluntarily consumable, but merely live off of every one else's salary (practically forcibly) by doing what a government should be doing.

In economic terms they are just that: the parasites of capitalism.

[xchrom]

49. interestingly -- this is one of the industries that is supposedly

going to flourish and offer america the big economic boom in the globalization age.

supposedly the indians and chinese don't ''do'' insurance services as well as we do -- this makes me laugh -- like they won't learn?
americans are becoming SO stupid -- i swear.

[YOY]

53. Of course it is...in a pig's eye

We don't and can't export it.

It is just a service that should be operated by the government, but wasn't and will not be privatized due to the sheer stupidity of most Americans (duhhhh...health care isn't a right....deeeeerrrr) So it just circulates money within our economy. Although some insurance is exportable (operations insurance, life insurance, car insurance even to an extent) as Lloyd's of London intended it to be when they first created the idea.

Furthermore it operates on a disgustingly 100% commission (or damn near close to it) margin for marketing further proving that the scummiest sales folks can indeed work their way to the top in our great country (I have yet to meet a left-wing health insurance saleperson...)

If I ever get my doctorate this is going to be my thesis and "Parasite Economics" would going to be my book...fat chance these days.

India and China have their own medical systems (although I have not idea how socialized India's is I am sure China has the two tier Socialist/Communist health care (ie regular for the regular folks/peasants and extremely good for the upper crust/party leaders etc...)

[ewagner]

8. Did you get a corresponding

rate DECREASE? It seems to me you should have.

Also, do you have an HSA? It's not the total answer but it can take some of the sting out of the higher deductible policies.

sorry you got the bad news before Christmas...

[cosmicdot]

16. 'an HSA' ... a health savings account?

sounds like a luxury item to me ... I just need to a money tree :D then, I might have enough to make ends meet.

[ewagner]

32. In theory

anyway.....

you can take a higher deductible policy and save a lot of money over what you're paying for a smaller deduct policy...let's try an example

Your old policy with $250 deduct was (say) $500 per month. But you switch to a $1000 deduct and your premium goes down to (say) $250 per month. You open a HSA and put in the difference between the old premium and new premium until it covers the cost of the deduct ($1000). Also, you get a tax break on the HSA up to (I think) $2,100. So that's the theory Doesn't always work that way but it's supposed to.

[lpbk2713]

11. You might as well not have any coverage at all.

Ain't life great under the BushCo regime?


:sarcasm:

[porphyrian]

12. How many people does it take to get group rates?

I don't have medical or dental insurance anymore. It costs too fucking much individually, and I'm having trouble getting a decent job with benefits. How many people would it take to band together to get a group rate? What if we/someone/anyone were to set up a company/charity/whatever with the sole purpose of providing affordable coverage? Is that even do-able?

[theplutsnw]

19. Andy actually had an idea along those lines

He wanted to try to start some sort of Dem party insurance program doing just that. Getting a group of people that share the same political philosophy together to create a group and buy insurance together. I thought it was a great idea! He also wanted Dean and the DNC to help organize Wal-mart. I miss Andy.

[porphyrian]

20. Andy had some good ideas.

I only met him here, but I liked him. I wonder if making this one happen is possible. Does anyone know what it would take?

[Lars39]

21. You'd have to find a willing insurance underwriter for starters.

[mopinko]

24. medicare for all, teddy says

kennedy was saying that the other day. i still don't know why citizens can't buy into all the government insurance programs. like pay the max on ss, voluntarily, so that you can get max benefits when you collect.

[China_cat]

27. We've been looking into that for our union local

especially for our retirees. No matter how many people we have, the lowest quote we've been able to get is almost $500,000 to even start a minimum coverage, basic health care, no dental, no eyecare, etc. We've talked to every provider on the east coast. Money they want is upfront and non-refundable if they decide you're too risky to carry...except for the one that said they'll guarantee coverage with a million and a half up front.

Unless you can get into an existing group, the likelihood of getting a new one started is very, very slim.

[RB TexLa]

52. in most states 3 with two of them non-related

You have to go to the court house and get a DBA, and open a checking account with your name and "DBA whatever name you chose."


I know some agents that used to have clients do it quite a bit, it's very much frowned upon by the insurance companies, and if too many are done an agent can lose their appointment. I haven't heard many people doing it lately so they might have cracked down on it.

[converted_democrat]

13. You know what's odd....

My father in law, and my brother in law, and my mom and dad all got the exact increase in deductible that you did. The weird part is that my father in law is retired on a pension, and my brother in law is a corporate attorney that makes over $700,000 a year, and my dad makes about $325,000 (John Deere Tractor Dealerships). They all
have different carriers, but the increases were the same. They all
received their letters last week. I just think it's odd that everyone that I know that has insurance got bumped to the same deductible.

[MidwestTransplant]

14. I don't imagine there would be any anti-trust collusion going on there

I am sure AJ Alberto will look right into it....not

[JHB]

26. I suppose "odd" is ONE word for it...

...I'm more inclined towards "suspicious".

[progressoid]

29. Yeah, Odd.

but not surprising. I'm sure the Bush administration will jump right on this.

[annabanana]

35. There was probably some little plum tucked into

an unrelated bill... Just a little lagniappe for their friends at Big Insurance. Like a ha'penny in a Christmas Pudding, except everyone knows who's going to find it.

[emald]

15. medicine for profit and jesus for profit

two of the most honored ideas of the GOP. Take from the poor, give to the rich and charge the rest for breathing.
Greed will kill our country. We are already on our knees.

[SW FL Dem]

17. I hear you.

We as a family of 3 pay 916 bucks a month for a PPO plan through hubby's employer and this doesn't include dental. We still have a 1000 per person and 2500 family deductible. Because of family history, hubby had to have a colonoscopy earlier this year (he's under 50). It wasn't covered, we ended up paying the full grand for it. Aren't we lucky we have "insurance".

[Cleetus]

18. Become a Congressman

Join Congress. You'll get the best healthcare for life, and it won't cost you anything.

Just so you know, I was recently hospitalized. My little stay cost me countless thousands, and I have a "good" insurance plan.

I'm on your side. Merry fucking X-mas indeed.

[yy4me]

22. Everyone remember Kerry's plan to get the government health

insurance equivalent for all of us? Why are the members of government more deserving of (affordable)insurance than the rest of us? Thank chief-chump and his cohorts for that too! None of us can afford it. I was retired but had to go back to work. The $537.00 Social Security check won't stretch to $780.00 for non-group BCBS non-group policy for me. I now buy "hit by a bus" policy that I know is useless but I can't go without any coverage. It still costs me a little over $300.00 a month with huge deductibles and NO drug coverage. I just hope my new job(which at my age does not pay well)coverage is not too costly. I didn't even ask how much it will be out of my paycheck. Don't have any option. We'll all stuck in this insurance quagmire and georgie and company couldn't care less.

[katinmn]

23. We must demand universal health coverage

Make it a requirement of anyone you will support in 06.

We can make it happen.

www.pnhp.org

[Pam-Moby]

25. I am self employed.

I had melanoma withing the last 10 years. So searching for insurance I could only find plans that started at $350.00 per month along with $1000.00 deductible. So I have no Health Insurance as it stands. I have not had for the past 3years.

[progressoid]

30. Me too.

Anything big happens and we're screwed.

[Pam-Moby]

45. Yes I know that.

I think there are many of us out there with no insurance. I do not see it changing anytime soon.

[loudestchick]

55. My husband is self-employed...I work for health insurance.

We're a family of 5 and our coverage is 75% of what I make. My take home is a joke.

[Cleita]

28. Welcome to your royal screwing.

Now you not only get to pay your insurance premiums, or your employer does, but you get to pay for your health care out of pocket too.

[tk2kewl]

33. Get this... !!!

A friend's sister's husband (38yo) fell off a roof last week and died two days later in the hospital. Before she even had him in the ground, his wife received a notice that the family health coverage through his job was dropped, since he is no longer employed. 2 kids - no job - no insurance.

I wonder if they will pay the hospital bills that fast?

[Blue Diadem]

36. That's awful

I don't even know what to say it just makes me so angry I want to throw something.

[AnneD]

34. Health Care is heading toward....

the perfect storm. Nurses have been screaming about this for some time now, but all we have gotten was a pat on the head and sent on our way. We dodged a serious bullet during the SARS outbreak several years ago. We can thank our lucky stars that the entry point was Canada-there the citizens have universal coverage and went to their Docs and hospitals. How many people in this country won't or can't go to the doc or hospital because they can't afford it or insurance. They will work as long as they can (and spread it there) and then go home (and spread it there).
In Canada, pts and staff were in a lock in quarantine. And frankly, after viewing that AND the way medical staff were treated during Katrina, it will be a cold day in hell before I risk my live and that of my family for this system that doesn't give a rat's ass for the health care workers. The police will have to come by my house and drag me kicking and screaming back to the hospital in handcuffs.

[npincus]

37. it sounds more like "F*ck you".

when the hell will this country get National Health Insurance? (yeah, I know).

[rman]

38. Scrooge rules. nt

[KT2000]

39. Uh oh......

the local hospital where I live is quick to seize assets from people behind in their payments - they control all testing in the community as well as hospital services.
Increased deductibles will keep them busy I guess.

[MrMonk]

40. I have a Blue Cross PPO plan through work.

As of Jan. 1, the deductible doubles and the drug co-pay doubles. The employees' contribution went up by a factor of four.

[greiner3]

41. Heck of a tax raise;

You should complain to your congressman.

[RobertSeattle]

42. The Real GOP Health Care Policy: Don't get sick

...And if you do, Be Rich!

[u4ic]

43. I'm sorry

:-(

:hug:

I'm bookmarking these threads to send to some in my family who plan to vote for the Cons in the upcoming election. Harper and his neoCONS WANT to do this to Canada, as well. :grr: :grr: :grr:

[RebelOne]

46. I guess I can call myself fortunate.

So far, I have not been notified that my insurance rate will increase. I work for a multi-million-dollar media corporation with a few thousand employees and I have been paying the same rate for the past 3 years. My monthly payment is under $100, which includes medical, dental, eye care and life insurance, so I'm not complaining (yet).

[Left coast liberal]

47. I hate them. nt

[newportdadde]

48. My health care premium through work has doubled since 2004.

Freaking doubled in 2 years and prescription drugs are moving to a percentage of the retail drug cost. Thankfully the deductible total for individual and family stayed the same as we are expecting twins so the birth I will 'only' get tapped for 1500. Talk about eating any 'raise' I may get alive.. and just wait till gas breaks 3.00 again this summer, maybe we will see 3.50.

This stuff is going to destory that spend spend consumer we are so reliant on as a country.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

50. Yeah, I got my Hanukkah present from Anthem this week, too.

Now, instead of $134 per paycheck being taken out, it's $204 (and I don't earn THAT much) for coverage of myself and my spouse. I don't see us getting a salary increase to help out w/ that either. I mean, I'm glad to have insurance, but don't the health care and pharmaceuticals make enough fucking money? Happy holidays indeed!?

[ashling]

51. Congratulations on having medical insurance

[NMMNG]

54. Must be the CEO needs a new vacation chalet and BMW

I mean, many of those guys only make in the double-digit millions every year. :eyes:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John W. Rowe
Chairman & CEO
Aetna Inc.

In 2004, John W. Rowe raked in $10,119,290 in total compensation including stock option grants from Aetna Inc..

From previous years' stock option grants, the Aetna Inc. executive cashed out $18,208,281 in stock option exercises.

And John W. Rowe has another $164,722,382 in unexercised stock options from previous years.

http://www.aflcio.org/corporatewatch/paywatch/ceou/database.cfm?tkr=AET&pg=1




William W. McGuire
Chairman & CEO
United Health Group Inc.

In 2004, William W. McGuire raked in $58,784,102 in total compensation including stock option grants from United Health Group Inc..

From previous years' stock option grants, the United Health Group Inc. executive cashed out $114,552,832 in stock option exercises.

And William W. McGuire has another $139,598,622 in unexercised stock options from previous years.

http://www.aflcio.org/corporatewatch/paywatch/ceou/database.cfm?tkr=UNH&pg=1