Health insurance premiums for congress members?

[Control-Z]

Does anyone know how much the premium is? I want to know how much it costs to insure our congress members, and about the program that insures them.

What about pre-existing conditions? Are they denied coverage the way normal people are?

When they retire or leave office. Do they get the same insurance option we get? Are they offered a COBRA type health plan. Do their premiums sky rocket like ours do. Are they cut off after 18 months? (it makes absolutely no sense that when someone is laid off, or too sick to work, their insurance is either cut off or their premium more than doubles.)

I want to know if they offer different policies to choose from like we are offered, if we're lucky enough to have a job that even provides/offers insurance.

Is it "group coverage" like with businesses, where the premiums are based on the number of employees? Or is there a flat fee for full coverage of each member?

Never mind that their coverage is the best in the land. I want to know the details of insuring people who are considered to be so much more valuable than the rest of us.

[Mnemosyne]

1. Excellent question! KnR n/t

[Control-Z]

6. I would really love

to get some solid information. I wonder why we can't buy into their plan? If it is based on the same criteria as standard policies, the premiums would go down with an increase in the number of insured.

[elleng]

14. Many have suggested that a 'universal' program

be fashioned on, or adapted into, congress-critters program, or similar program provided for Federal employees. I've been using the Fed program for 20+ years, and think that might work. I don't know what is the difference between the 2. We basically have choice among a number of insurance co. plans, and provide premiums accordingly. It requires us to select among the plans annually; its simple to just stay where you are.

It is NOT same as so-called single-payer, which would be similar to medicaid, as I understand it, and might be preferable for some/many.

[Telly Savalas]

2. Check here

http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/search/plansearch.aspx

[Control-Z]

4. So which box does congress check:

Choose an Employee Type

Non U.S. Postal Service
U. S. Postal Service
Annuitant
Workers Compensation Recipient
Certain Temporary Employees
Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC)
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Edit: And once a choice is made, and the premium is revealed, how much is paid for them?

[Telly Savalas]

I'm guessing non-US Postal Service, since none of the other categories apply

The premium revealed almost certainly represents the amount the employee pays. It's too low to be otherwise.

[elleng]

16. This is 2009 Federal Employees Health Benefits Program,

differs from Congress' plan.


EDIT: I'm not sure it differs from Congress' plan; looks like congress has an OPTION for a slightly different plan.

'Politicians are part of the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program. They have a choice of between 5 and 10 health plans in each city. Some are HMOs, some are regular insurance with preferred provider programs. They select a plan they like, the federal government pays a large portion of the premium, and they pay the rest. For more expensive plans with a lot of choices of doctors and hospitals and more services, Senators and Congressmen pay more. For the basic plan they pay a little premium.'

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2005_06/006478.php

[ejpoeta]

3. that is a good question. i have often wondered that myself. i thought they were under

the same plan all federal employees are under. though, honestly i don't know what that is. i know my sister and brother in law as IRS employees have it... but i don't know anything about their plans.

[enlightenment]

5. Here are a couple of pdfs of the rates, from the OEM site:

http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/rates/nonpostalhmo2009.pdf
http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/rates/nonpostalffs2009.pdf

[Ocracoker16]

7. Crunching numbers reveal that gov pays 72% of the premium

Unbelievable. Don't forget that they are already being paid $170,000 a year. They could afford to pay the premium themselves.

Keep us posted about what you find out. People need to know that the very same members of Congress who oppose universal health care are paying 28% of the premiums for their health care plans.

[Control-Z]

11. 72% seems about right when reading the PDF

links that enlightenment put up. Some of the plans I've looked at, including what the gov kicks in, are still less than what I pay for really crappy family coverage.

[elleng]

15. Congress-members are paid 170???

Same for Senators??? Sounds high.

[deaniac21]

8. The premium is .00 and they have it for life.

[cushla_machree]

9. Is this serious?

This information should be posted every night on the news!

[Control-Z]

12. Is their health care benefit

provided through the same groups as other fed employees, only paid for in full? Or is it a completely different program?

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[elleng]

17. Don't think so.

that is, .00 premium.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2005_06/006478.php

[ThomWV]

19. You clearly don't know a dam thing about it. It costs hundreds per month and the day you quit payin

And its gone the day you quit paying.

[slipslidingaway]

10. knr nt

[ThomWV]

18. It is not the "best in the land" and it cost $365 a month

I have exactly the same coverage as Congress - in fact every federal government employee has exactly the same coverage. Now for those of you who have been fooled into thinking this is some sort of exclusive and wonderful insurance plan and that it is free, be disabused of that nonsense right now. It is the same insurance coverage that is available to millions across the land and it costs about the same amount too. Like many large employers the government subsidizies a portion of the cost of its employees health care. Considering the low pay and miserable opportunity for advancement in government service its small enough price to pay to attract people who are worth having. At any rate the portion paid by the Government is done by formula but overall the last time I saw any numbers for it they were covering about 65% of the cost. There are actually several plans available from several insurance companies in the plan and they all have different costs - you chose the one you want and the government pays some part of the cost. Mine is BC/BS, family option and it runs me $365 a month. I'd be willing to bet that half of Congress has exactly the same plan and pays exactly the same cost.