Congressional Healthcare

[erpowers]

Does anyone know where I can find any information on the cost of the congressional Healthcare benefit. I looked on google, but I could not find anyone. What I am talking about is the healthcare benefit given to the members of congress. I am looking for this in that I want to know how much cutting congressional healthcare would save as opposed to cutting military healthcare. I assume that the costs of healthcare to congress costs more than that of the military healthcare when one considers the size of Congress as opposed to the size of the military.

[BlueJac]

1. They shouldn't even have coverage unless........

it is copay like the rest of this country is becoming. They should have to pay for their families out of their own pockets, we all know they can afford it and they do little to help the citizens of this country have good coverage.

[blondeatlast]

2. My understanding is that all Federal employees, including Congress are

covered thusly:

http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/index.asp

It's rumored to be quite a cushy little plan, natch.

[liberalhistorian]

3. Don't even get me started

on this subject! A major reason people file bankruptcy is due to medical bills from a major illness or health care costs, even if they have insurance. But Congress passed the draconian, screw-everyone-but-the-rich bankruptcy law changes which will take effect on Oct. 17 with NO provision for people filing due to medical bills. Yet they have the best healthcare in the world, EVERYTHING is paid for no matter what so that they never, ever have to worry about how to pay for cancer treatment without losing everything they have, etc., etc. And this insurance is paid for by the taxpayers, most of whom don't have such an advantage, and many of whom are the very people getting screwed by our health care "system", and who will be screwed by the bankruptcy changes passed by the very congressmen whose health care they pay for. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh:

[KT2000]

6. the hospital gets your house too!

you are allowed a homestead exemption - $40,000 in most states but the rest goes to the medical debtors. The effect of that is you lose the house.

[liberalhistorian]

8. Yes, and it goes straight

into the mega-bucks salary of the hospital CEO, whose main job is figuring out how to keep people who can't pay from darkening the hospital's doors and making sure the legal department aggressively goes after the uninsured and those unable to pay their bills right away, no matter how small.

[Totally Committed]

4. Why don't you write or phone your Congressperson, and ask?

Seems the most direct way of finding out, and a nifty way of letting them know we are watching 'em... :hide:

TC

[blondeatlast]

5. More links:

Physicians for a National Health Program
http://www.pnhp.org/

American Medical Student Assoc.
http://www.amsa.org/

[Pharlo]

7. I don't know if this is exactly what you're looking for, but I found it

to be extremely informative:

http://www.ntu.org/main/press.php?PressID=343

"Health and Life Insurance - Super Subsidies"

Snip

Members of Congress may obtain health insurance coverage for themselves and their families through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), which covers approximately 9 million government workers, retirees, and dependents. Widely touted as a model program even by fiscal conservatives, FEHBP allows employees to select the level and type of health insurance they desire (such as fee-for-service or managed care) from a variety of competing private plans, cooperatives, and union-negotiated arrangements. Providers are encouraged to "bid" with the government by offering specially-designed benefit packages at varied prices.15

According to Office of Personnel Management reports, the average biweekly premium for family coverage paid by the enrollee will amount to $80.16; for self-only coverage, the biweekly amount would be $36.52. However, the government provides workers with a large subsidy for the coverage, under a formula ironically dubbed the "Fair Share." Enacted into law in 1997, taxpayers generally contribute 72 percent of the "program-wide weighted average of premiums in effect each year," or 75 percent of the "total premium for the particular plan an enrollee selects."16 ...If each Member of Congress selected the average self-only coverage option under FEHBP for the year 2001, taxpayers would contribute a subsidy of roughly $1.2 million.

Snip...

The Attending Physician's Office is a $1.8 million-per-year operation that encompasses three separate facilities employing nearly twenty doctors, nurses, and technicians in the U.S. Capitol (some of whom are part-time workers). ...an annual fee has been instituted, which this year is reportedly set at $332 for House Members and $520 for Senators. At this rate, the annual taxpayer subsidy for the Attending Physician is still at least $1.6 million. However, Americans may take comfort in the fact that their subsidy has personal value -- Capitol visitors who fall victim to medical emergencies may receive treatment as well.

One medical benefit for lawmakers that even other Congressional employees can't obtain is the combination of outpatient care at the Walter Reed Army Hospital and Bethesda Naval Hospital -- along with inpatient care at the minimum flat daily rate even if intensive care treatment is required.19

In its entirety, this National Tax Unions Policy Paper is very informative. It's entitled:

'Congressional Perks: How the Trappings of Office Trap Taxpayers'