Teacher's health Insurance is through the roof.

[ChoralScholar]

I'm sure there are some of you who pay more, but my situation is really sucking right now.

Our Personnel Policies Committe has been fighting to divide money earmarked for salary increases. After all is said and done with, I will get about 1200 dollars more next year than I would have gotten.

That was before the email with next year's insurance rates. My health insurance plan alone (Qualchoice HMO) has gone up over 212 dollars per month, which raises it to 770 dollars each month. I will actually be making less next year, even though I got a decent raise.

I'm so pissed right now I can't see straight. We're told that our insurance is so high because we are so high risk (around children, etc.)

I just can't believe how a group this big (Arkansas public school teachers) can't negotiate a better rate.

I am on a supplemented salary because I am a choral director, so I can't complain as much as some others. I can't see how a young teacher, just out of college can afford health insurance at all. Not to mention the cafeteria workers, janitors and secretaries, that are getting paid 19-20K per year. Some of them don't get paid, they just work for health insurance.

Thanks for listening.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

1. Are you kidding?

That's just an insult. That's so much money, who could afford it?

Someone's screwing you guys, and I'd love to know who it is.

Good luck.

[Liberal Veteran]

2. Health insurance just sucks.

This year, I had my choice between 5 health plans and even though I bought the top of the line model, I still end up paying a share of my quarterly lab work (which runs me about 200 dollars every 3 months in addition to my co-pay and premiums and co-pay for prescriptions).

And I work for a company that manages health benefits.

[acmejack]

6. I am fortunate that I am a veteran

But they extracted a price for this 'free' medical care. The medicos are continually frustrated because of their reliance nowadays on MRIs as a primary diagnostic tool. If you contain too much metal they can't use it for some reason, which makes things much more difficult for them and forces them to do things the old fashioned way.

[Hippo_Tron]

19. I don't think there's anything fortunate about it

You served your country and are more than deserving of the benefits that come with it. It's a shame how this administration has screwed over veterans.

[Warpy]

16. My last job was at a hospital that bought a for profit health plan

I was told very quietly that I would not be hired on staff, that I'd have to keep working per diem because they were afraid I'd cost their insurance plan money (I have a lulu of a pre existing condition, but it's well controlled).

The nurses I worked with kept getting socked with higher and higher premiums and copays, to the point that I know of at least one who got socked with enough copays during her battle with breast cancer that she had to consider filing bankruptcy.

The US system maximizes cost, inefficiency and cruelty. If your aim is to have an unhealthy population with a handful of parasitical executives who are paid to live like sultans, then the US system is for you.

Single payer NOW. The system is broken beyond repair. We can no longer put bandaids on a for profit system and pretend it works. It does not, will not, can not.

Right now, at least 20% of us are without insurance permanently, with another 20% having only partial coverage. How many of us will have to die before the damn government fixes it?

[pooja]

3. LUCKY ONE'S

At least you have the option to bitch about a policy... think of those that don't. Most people are either losing their insurance or absorbing these high costs as well. Being a teacher doesn't put you in an exclusive category...

[ChoralScholar]

5. Well, since I don't work in any other field

I can only speak for my own.

[pooja]

7. I'm not trying to be offensive.

My family is full of teachers. I am probably one of the only that didn't go that route. My sister goes on and on about how tough it is. And in the private sector it is worse. She actually makes more than I do and I have a B.S.---Actually thinking of giving it a few years myself... work on my masters and phd. while I'm at it.

[MichiganVote]

12. Boy are you in for a rude awakening but go for it and learn

[bbernardini]

8. Hey, nice avatar.

;)

[ChoralScholar]

10. OAS, AAS, LLS!!! EOM

[Dr.Phool]

13. Last week I got a letter saying that my insurance was terminated

effective July 1.

The week before that I got a letter saying that my PBGC covered company pension was being cut in half RETROACTIVELY for 5 years!

They'll take 10% of my reduced rate each month for another 51 years.

I don't know whether to :rofl: or :cry:

:banghead: :dilemma:

But for now it's:beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer:

[teach1st]

4. Our district's insurance went down...

Aetna (high co-pays, though) will be $28.33 less per month next year.

[kentuck]

9. I went to the dentist today...

WQith insurance, a root canal and a cap will cost me $400 with insurance. Without insurance, it would about $1600...for one tooth.

[pinto]

11. What a chunk of money each month. Even here in CA I haven't

heard of any public employees unit having such a high premium.

[tsuki]

14. Do you ever feel like you are paying "protection?" Sometimes

I feel like I am in a James Cagney movie.

[izzybeans]

15. We pay more to insurance companies than to the government

It is quite a tax and nobody should see it otherwise.

Two teachers in this household. But this trend is not limited to teachers.

It is time to bust up the insurance companies and relegate them to risk management consulting.

[donco6]

17. You're on a family plan?

Our single coverage here is about $375/month. The teachers only pay 6% of that. Of course, family is considerably higher. Our rates went up 18% last year.

[ChoralScholar]

18. Yeah, I have to, because my wife is still in nursing school...

My single coverage is 161.30 (my cost)

[Yupster]

20. That was my question

This is you and your family right?

My insurance was proposed at over $ 700 a month so I went the Health Savings Account way for a bit over $ 200 a month. Haven't had it ong enough to know if it's any good or not though.

[newportdadde]

21. I'm not a teacher, but our insurance per month has DOUBLED in 2 years.

I work in the corporate world and our premiums have doubled in the past 2 years. Doesn't leave much if any extra from a raise.

When my wife did teach, 3 years ago I remember her paycheck being about 1800 a month. She was a new teacher, the health insurance which she did not take as she was on mine would have eaten that check up.