The Cellar - Impeding changes to our Health Care system

WASHINGTON – Aerospace giant Boeing is joining the list of companies that say the new health care law could have a potential downside for their workers.
In a letter mailed to employees late last week, the company cited the overhaul as part of the reason it is asking some 90,000 nonunion workers to pay significantly more for their health plan next year. A copy of the letter was obtained Monday by The Associated Press.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101018/...h_costs_boeing

xoxoxoBruce

10-21-2010 10:09 PM

I read the letter from Boeing to the salaried employees. It's a business decision. Because the main competitor, Airbus, has employees who get medical coverage from their respective governments, also, medical costs have been going up at least twice the inflation rate for years.

This newspaper article blames the law, but the direct quotes are more telling.

Quote:

We want to manage our costs so this tax doesn't apply to our plan, but that's down the road," said Forte. "If this health care law hadn't passed, would we be making changes to the health care benefit? Absolutely. For competitive reasons."

TheMercenary

10-21-2010 10:24 PM

I guess I just see that their hand is being forced by Obama Care either way. Maybe they are saying that to make it more palatable. But I don't trust them to tell the truth.

Either way Obama Care is pushing insurance rates up, up, up. Just as I predicted. Why? Because there are no controls in the bill and Obama is in bed with the insurance companies and unions. Color me purple. Isn't it interesting that now they are handing out "exceptions" to the law, to whom? Unions. Big Corps that supported the Demoncrats. The list will grow....

classicman

10-21-2010 10:28 PM

Where can I file for a waiver? I am now going to spend $600 a month on health insurance.
Thats triple what I was paying.

TheMercenary

10-21-2010 10:33 PM

Join a Union. Maybe they will cut you a break. Not.

Shawnee123

10-22-2010 07:30 AM

Just a question: have you had to use a lot of your benefits as of late? Have your cow orkers experienced the same (admittedly) huge jumps in their rates? I'm not being facetious, I just wonder if it's attributable to health care reform? Would you have any insurance at all, or could they have just cut you off completely?

Spexxvet

10-22-2010 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by classicman (Post 689558)

Hey I got some news today...
My insurance premiums went up 70% Woo Hoo.
I can't imagine how much they would have gone up without HCR. Gobama!

Quote:

Originally Posted by classicman (Post 689585)

Where can I file for a waiver? I am now going to spend $600 a month on health insurance.
Thats triple what I was paying.

70% increase triples your monthly payment?

Shawnee123

10-22-2010 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMercenary (Post 689560)

Obama Care has hit mine as well. They are going up significantly and we have a good plan. But it remains to be seen if we are going to accept it or just completely drop it and ask to become a 1099 employee and get it from the gobberment, I will just take advantage of the screwed up system and put it back on the system.

That's the way to do it! You, sir, are a patriot and a scholar...a fine American.

Lamplighter

10-22-2010 09:28 AM

Merc, I thought Vets were eligible for life-time health care through the VA. Is this not so ?

I know there is a problem for vets living a distance from their nearest VA hospital, but I also thought there was a Bill in Congress to provide an alternative assistance to allow such vets to receive care in their home town. But I don't think that Bill has yet been voted on.

classicman

10-22-2010 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawnee123 (Post 689642)

Very small group - two of the 4 employees jumped in age groups - for example one guy just turned 46 and the other 56...
This has zero to do with claims.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spexxvet (Post 689652)

70% increase triples your monthly payment?

Yeh - policy is that the co. pays for the employee and the employee pays for his family. The "employee only" rate did not jump significantly (they rarely do)
The increase is the employee's responsibility.

Spexxvet

10-22-2010 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by classicman (Post 689780)

That sounds fishy. The part of the coverage that the employer pays for doesn't change, but the part that the employee pays for keeps escalating. Employer wins, employee gets screwed again. Hmmmmm...

Shawnee123

10-22-2010 02:07 PM

Thanks for the clarification, and yeah...that is the sux.

classicman

10-22-2010 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spexxvet (Post 689783)

That sounds fishy. The part of the coverage that the employer pays for doesn't change, but the part that the employee pays for keeps escalating. Employer wins, employee gets screwed again. Hmmmmm...

The employer pays whatever the employee rate is - VERY COMMON.
The employee pays the difference to cover his/her family - VERY COMMON.
The family rate increases much more than the employee only rate - VERY COMMON.

Which part?

Spexxvet

10-23-2010 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by classicman (Post 689820)

Why does the family rate increase much more than the employee rate?

xoxoxoBruce

10-23-2010 09:29 AM

Because other than the spouse, the family is usually children or old people.

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