Workers see higher health costs, less care

[mike r]

Source: Reuters

Companies are cutting healthcare costs further amid a continuing sour economy, scaling back benefits and shifting a greater share of the expense to employees. The findings, published on Thursday, come as the congressional campaign heats up over the nation's stagnant economic growth and whether recently passed healthcare reforms should be repealed. Such steps may be keeping the cost of insurance plans down "but it also means employer coverage is less comprehensive," said Drew Altman, president and CEO of the Kaiser Family Foundation, which conducts the annual survey. "From a consumer perspective, the cost of health insurance just keeps going up faster than wages."

Health insurance in the United States, unlike other industrialized countries, is largely provided by employers. Roughly 157 million people under age 65 receive their care through their workplace. A survey of more than 3,000 companies earlier this year found 30 percent of employers have reduced the health benefits they offer or increased their workers' share of the cost, while 23 percent said they raised employee premiums.

As a result, employees are paying an average of 14 percent, or about $482, more a year in healthcare costs for a family plan. Workers are seeing higher deductibles that must be met before coverage kicks in and paying a higher share of the overall health plan's costs. "In 2010, covered workers contributed a greater share of the total premium, a notable change from the steady share workers have paid on average over the last decade," the report said. At the same time, that premium has been soaring. Since 2000, the average overall cost of health insurance for a family plan has grown by 114 percent to $13,770 in 2010 from $6,438. Workers' share of such coverage has grown by 147 percent to $3,997 in 2010 from $1,619 in 2000.

Of course, not all companies provide health insurance, and those who have been laid off -- the nation's unemployment rate is now 9.6 percent -- also have to buy their own policy, pay for doctor visits and other care out of pocket, or go without care. The health law aims to expand access to coverage and help more small businesses offer coverage to their workers, but many of its provisions do not take effect for years.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6813FR20100902

[phantom power]

1. Well, you know, it's The Best They Could Do. Reaching Across The Aisle. Postpartisan And Stuff.

Can't wait for Nov.

:puke:

[ProfessionalLeftist]

2. getting ready to drop this bomb on us where I work...

....next week we'll find out how much more it'll cost and how much less care we'll get.

[ehrnst]

3. Employers Push Higher Health Insurance Costs Onto Workers

Source: Kaiser Health News

Workers nationwide, on average, are paying nearly $4,000 a year toward the cost of family coverage. That's a hefty 14 percent, or $482, more for family health insurance in 2010 than in 2009, according to a survey released today by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research & Educational Trust, two nonprofit organizations that focus on health policy issues. (Kaiser Health News is a part of the foundation.)

Total premiums for family coverage, taking into account both employee and employer contributions, are $13,770, up 3 percent from last year, the survey found.

The share of the premium paid by workers jumped 3 percentage points to 30 percent. In the dozen years the survey has been conducted, the employee share of family coverage has never topped 28 percent and has never risen more than 2 percentage points in a single year.

Read more: http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2010/September/02/kff-employer-survey.aspx

[Hell Hath No Fury]

4. Who could have ever imagined that would happen????

:wow:

:eyes:

:puke:

That is all.

[Roland99]

5. In the meantime, corporate profts are up, corporations are sitting on tons of cash ($1.8 TRILLION)

and CEOs and other execs are reaping huge bonuses.

[Jazzgirl]

11. I thought I heard they were sitting on 2.3 trillion.

n/t

[Roland99]

12. could be higher. I was going off a Newsweek article I'd read recently

[inna]

39. what's even more relevant is the fact that the insurance companes are enjoying RECORD profits

in 2009 AND 2010 as they continue to decrease the standards of coverage.

The MLR drop during the last year is unprecedented; corporations are running amok and, unfortunately, are winning over people.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

6. off to the greatest.

this needs more exposure.

[jtrockville]

7. What? I CAN'T "keep what I have now" because of employer whim?

Stunning.

[raccoon]

8. My employer did it long ago....half the employees here have no insurance through the employer. nt

[Lasher]

38. Yep, this has been going on for about 3 decades.

Just based on personal experience.

[Thav]

9. Add that to

the stagnating or lowering of wages. It's a great time to be a wage slave!

[sharp_stick]

10. Big Corporations Enjoy Recessions

because they can easily roll back all kinds of benefits. Where I work it's gone from getting rid of people in layoffs to as low as telling employees they can no longer roll over a week of unused vacation. Now they seem surprised that so many people are taking so much time off this year.

In addition they have culled the discount at the company stores resulting in closed company stores because why would I want to pay retail right here when I can do it at a fucking Walgreens with the rest of my stuff.

As usual they will go too far and eventually they'll have to redo it in order to stop the exodus of "high value" employees, at least the ones that are left after the last round of layoffs.

[wilt the stilt]

13. The dream of insurance companies and employers

is high deductible catastrophic insurance. It is the best of all scenarios. Healthcare visits and procedures are too expensive so no claims are ever paid and they take in premiums. what a wonderful healthcare system.

[slipslidingaway]

14. knr nt

[ehrnst]

15. Last year Rush accused KFF of releasing this in Sept as an anti-business conspiracy with Obama

This annual survey that been released in Sept since 1998...

Should be interesting to see what he utters about it this year.

[CoffeeCat]

16. This is a really shitty situation...

...for our entire country--and it's horrible for our party that the reality of the
healthcare bill is rearing it's ugly head during an election season.

I knew this would happen.

Think this won't be a campaign issue? It most certainly will. Republicans will
have Americans lined up to tell their horror stories about how they're paying more
for less.

Yes, there are some good things in this healthcare bill. It's nice that older adult
children can now be on their parents insurance.

However, the major, systemic problem with healthcare in this country--that the insurance
companies are in charge and will seek profit over patients--was never remedied. Plus,
there are no cost controls.

This is not healthcare reform. It's a mandate to pay more to the insurance companies.
People are going to be pissed.

This will affect the election, and I fear it will prevent any meaningful
healthcare reform in our lifetime. Republicans will use these negative consequences
to say, "See! We told you government shouldn't be in charge of healthcare! Now
do you believe us?"

We're screwed.

[MARALE]

42. This has been happening for years

This is not because of the health care bill, but I know that it will be blamed for it. The health care rates have been going up for the last 10 years, it has been a growing trend from corporations as there is pressure to look more profitable.

[peace frog]

17. Employers shifting health-care costs to workers, survey shows

Source: Washington Post

The premiums that employees pay for employer-sponsored family coverage rose an average of 13.7 percent this year, while the amount that employers contribute fell by 0.9 percent, the survey found.

For family coverage, workers are paying an average of $3,997, up $482 from last year, while employers are paying an average of $9,773, down $87, according to the survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research & Educational Trust....

Workers with health benefits are paying an average of 30 percent of the premium for family coverage and 19 percent of the premium for single coverage this year, the highest in 12 years of surveys by the two organizations. Last year, workers were paying an average of 27 percent of the premium for family coverage and 17 percent for single coverage...

How much, if at all, the federal health-care overhaul enacted in March will restrain cost increases over the long run remains to be seen. While experts debate its likely impact, the legislation is "the only thing we have coming on line as a country to control costs other than what now seems like the primary default strategy in the private sector - shifting costs to people," Altman said.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/02/AR2010090202265.html

[nc4bo]

18. Glad I didn't put away my "Thank God It Passed sign".

I hope no one is surprised.

[chill_wind]

19. K & R. n/t

[JuniperLea]

20. Most large companies consider this a part of total compensation...

That's how it's been for me since the mid-90's. Companies always take their costs into consideration... if they pay X for insurance for this particular job title, then the job title will pay X less.

We can still take those funds out of our pay pre-tax, so it saves about 1/3.

All that said, it's no surprise the companies and the insurance industry will try to find ways around this new legislation. It's always been dubbed a work in progress.

The bumpy ride ain't over yet, folks.

[T Wolf]

22. Question is - will it be easier or harder to fix it now that "something" is in place?

We all have an opinion, but reality says we will have to wait and see what our "leaders" decide to do.

[JuniperLea]

25. Medicare was easier to fix...

Once they got a foot in the door. I think it will be easier this way too.

[xultar]

21. Doctors are making up fees too. My dr is charging $ 20 for called in Rx scripts

$35 for lost Rx scripts and other shit. They let you subscribe for 100 a year or u can pay the fees as necessary.

[TBF]

23. It is all "made up" - that is what we call capitalism. nt

[pattmarty]

31. I think I would start looking for another doctor. That my friend, is bullshit.

[DJ13]

24. ...... while blaming Washington

It's NOT the Economy, Stupid: It's the Mess in Washington

On Thursday September 2, 2010, 1:08 pm EDT

Despite all the worry about the sluggish US economy, businesses and investors are finding an even bigger reason to be cautious these days: the political mess in Washington.

"Businesses-especially smaller businesses, independent businesses-they don't know what their cost structures are going to be because of government-imposed changes," David Kotok, founder of Cumberland Advisors, said on CNBC this week. "Half the US economy's holding back because of this great uncertainty that's coming from Washington."

Investors, too, are holding back, with control of Congress up for grabs in November and the possibility of sharp policy changes after that. Market pros cite a number of issues-the Bush tax cuts, possible repeal of health care reform, the deficit-for all the unease.

The market, in fact, has basically moved sideways all summer, with the Standard & Poor's 500 (INDEX: .SPX) virtually unchanged since May 25. Investors, meanwhile, have fled equity funds and plowed money into bonds.

"Why are we stuck in this range? It's not the (economic growth) issue," says Nadav Baum, executive vice president at BPU Investment Management in Pittsburgh. "It's the issue of what's going to happen in November with the election and what's going to happen with the Bush tax cuts. You've got all this uncertainty and...when there's more uncertainty, people get more uncomfortable with equities."


http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Its-NOT-the-Economy-Stupid-cnbc-3055529815.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=main&asset=&ccode=

The wealthy are on strike to force more concessions from DC, regardless of party.

This is precisely what many knew they would do if they werent dealt with harshly when the markets collapsed.

They dont back down unless they have no choice.

[Bonhomme Richard]

26. "And the survey says".....

You have been screwed, you are being screwed, and we will continue to screw you every chance we get. Hey. The further down you get the easier it is to kick you.

[ejpoeta]

27. i think that is no surprise to most people. i know that we have had costs shifted to us

for years. we end up with high deductible insurance that no one can afford to use. we ended up on the state health plan. i guess that makes us lazy i suppose. one of the lazy welfare people. even though my husband works his ass off at work and then comes home and works his ass off here. but we get reduced lunches and state health insurance.... so we must be one of those they like to call lazy.

[crim son]

28. I guess the current administration didn't anticipate this.

:crazy:

[xchrom]

29. Quelle surprise! Nt

[JVS]

30. This was predicted by opponents of the individual mandate.

[lib2DaBone]

32. When does Health Care Reform kick in? 2014?

My co-pays just went up 50%. I'll be dead by 2014 and I still won't be able to see a 'friggin doctor.

[jxnmsdemguy65]

36. It's health insurance reform, not health care reform....

the capitalist genocidal plan at work...enrich health insurance cos by making it mandatory; kill off the 'unproductive' sectors of society while you're at it while denying them care.

When are people going to realize that these Republicans - I'm talking about the snarky Chamber of Commerce types that you run into every day - are just as evil as the fucking Nazis?

[area51]

37. +1

Each day, 273 people die due to lack of health care in the U.S.; that's 100,000 deaths per year.

We need single-payer health care, not a welfare bailout for the serial-killer insurance agencies.

We don't need the GingrichCare of mandated, unregulated, for-profit insurance that is still too expensive, only pays parts of medical bills, denies claims, and bankrupts people. Republinazi '93 plan:

"Subtitle F: Universal Coverage - Requires each citizen or lawful permanent resident to be covered under a qualified health plan or equivalent health care program by January 1, 2005."

"We will never have real reform until people's health stops being treated as a financial opportunity for corporations."

[txlibdem]

33. The maddening idiocy of 2014

Who was the genius that put off the health care exchanges until 2014? How many Americans will either die or go into bankruptcy because they do not have health insurance (or have insurance with inadequate coverage) between now and then?!?

[Bette Noir]

35. + about a million.

My husband is out of work NOW. We have crappy insurance, chosen by the company that laid him off, NOW. If we knew we could get decent insurance, we could declare ourselves retired and take a nice road trip, but instead we have to look for work daily, hoping one of us finds something (in my case, it'd have to be something I can do in spite of a bad back) before the next serious illness or injury.

[catzies]

34. Um, welcome to 15 years ago? Sheesh. I do payroll and benefits, have seen this for years. n/t

[Javaman]

40. A buddy of mine just lost his health insurance at work...

his two bosses are hard core tea bagging repukes.

They claimed that overhead was killing them, even though their business qualifies for Obama health care break for small businesses.

Not coming right out and saying it, they canceled in on their moronic tea bagging belief that anything the current administration does is bad.

Now my friend has no health care, his wife who has had health issue for a long time is now without coverage.

These people are fucks, plain and simple.

[xchrom]

41. recommend