Even if you have insurance thru an employer...

[kentuck]

There is no guarantee you will have it when you need it.

Employers have created numerous ways to account for your absences, sick or otherwise. They may give each employee an alloted number of hours to use as they wish, either on holidays or for vacation. If the employee uses those up and then gets sick, if they do not have FMLA, then they can accumulate too many unexcused absences and be fired for that reason. Even if they have insurance, it does not prevent dismissal unless they go on short or long-term disability.

There are many problems with employer-based insurance. Simply having insurance does not guarantee you will have it when you actually need it.

FMLA does not pay you for your time off. It only gives you an excuse to be off. Many employers no longer offer a certain number of sick days. If you use up your PTO hours, then that's tough. You should have saved them for a rainy day. Also, there are no excused absences or reasons to clock in late. That will be added to your running total of unexcused absences and they can show you the door. No matter if you have insurance or not.

[dflprincess]

1. Whether or not your insurance is through your employer,

it may not be there when you really need it. It's not until you use it that you find out what it really does or does not cover - and just what it will cost you to use it.

[kentuck]

2. Very true

Few people have what they think they have...

[paulsby]

3. in some cases, yes. my insurance is a counterexample

and is simply excellent. i am just coming off 4 months of leave due to injury, and my medical insurance covered EVERYTHING to include surgery, anesthesia, physical therapy, massage, etc. meds were a cheap copay. and my disability insurance paid me MORE (take home) than i'd get at work.

[ret5hd]

4. yes, we've all heard.

multiple times.
:eyes:

[paulsby]

5. and yet, NOBODY else pipes up with their

great insurance stories. i've read a metric assload of negative insurance stories. are we to believe that DU members, as opposed to the rest of society universally have no or crappy insurance? OR... that people selectively report in order to fit the dominant metanarrative? hmmmm...

[Brickbat]

6. Ours is awesome, as well.

But then, it's all negotiated, and we know exactly what is included.

Before that, our insurance was administered by Mr. Brickbat's union. It was even more awesome than what we have now.

[paulsby]

7. one thing i think is pretty clear

is that the level of excellentness of your insurance is strongly correlated to the strength of your bargaining unit. a union, for example with 2,000 members can negotiate better insurance than an individual. to put it mildly. part of the reason why my union gets such good insurance is because our members also have a record of minimal usage of insurance as compared to the average.

[ret5hd]

9. Are your weekly paid-for-by-insurance backrubs examples of this minimum usage?

[paulsby]

10. yes

i have yet to find ONE coworker (i've mentioned the massage coverage to about 2 dozen) who takes advantage of this benefit. the insurance can afford to offer greater benefits to us, at least partially because they know (based on stats of past usage) that most people won't avail themselves of them. if every member received the full allotment of 60 massages, that would cost the insurance company roughly $5700 per person. and my insurance covers my spouse too. so, that would be $11,400 per person/premium for married couples who used it. they clearly could not afford to offer it if a substantial # of people used it. but most don't. that's fine with me. similarly, healthy young guys and gals essentially subsidize guys who are less healthy and/or who have a wife and kids. cause the premium is the same regardless. actually, it costs $50 a month to put my wife on. practically the same

[Brickbat]

12. Yup, exactly.

Also, it also has to do with the kind of work you're doing. Mr. Brickbat's carpenters insurance was much stronger and more useful than my peon Guild insurance.

[kentuck]

8. I am talking about employers...

not necessarily the insurance plan they carry.

[jtrockville]

11. No guarantee "if you like it you can keep it" either.

Those who have employer-based insurance are at the whim of their employer. If the employer chooses a different insurance company, you may have no alternative but to switch doctors in the middle of your treatment.

Uniquely American!

[MattBaggins]

13. They don't need anything creative

Here in New York even being on disability is no protection. You can be let go the day you go on it.