I just got my yearly notice from Carefirst BCBS. My health insurance is going from $235 to $272 a month. A 15% increase in one year in a deflationary economy! In 2003 when I got it, it was $160. I’m trying to think. I think I went to the doctor two or three times last year and paid for my one prescription out of pocket. And you wonder why people aren’t saving. Do you think my employer is giving me a 15% raise to make up for this? Is anybody’s? No, we’re told to work harder for the same thing. Let them Man stick it to you. But I bet nobody wants to talk about this. You guys want to talk about the mom with 5 kids on welfare with their big screen tv or maybe Obama's birth certificate.
yea...80% in 6 years, 13% or so per year on average.
Many companies however held rates very steady or didn't raise them as we were in a "boom economy" (so-called)...so profits go through the roof...and even more so because pay rates were also held in check or minimized.
Now that growth isn't as big, or as much, suddenly not only are all the cuts being made, rates and costs are seeing double-digit "growth"...which could equate from anything as 30 cents for a food item to 30-40/month for a health plan, to thousands in education...
Quote from KeithOmalley:
your health insurance is only $272 per month? where do you work? can i use u as a reference? thats a great rate.
My company doesn’t provide benefits. I’m a loser pizza delivery driver in case you haven’t read the rest of the thread. Trying to be a responsible person, I bought my own individual policy. I’m the only one on the plan, no one else. It is a standard hmo. Perhaps its lower than you might think because I chose the highest co-pay’s possible to lower the monthly premium, as I don’t go to the doctor much. When I go to my eye doctor (I have glaucoma) I pay $30, whereas you might pay $10. My prescription plan has a $150 deductible, I think. Also there is no dental, but I pay $10 a month for a dental network that gives discounted rates. So if you have the super duper plan, I see how it would cost more. Also I’m 24, I don’t know how old you are.
Anyways the point is there is no justification for a 15% increase in our present deflationary environment. You want to know why they raised it? Because they are the Man and they can. I’ll have to admit though, I have had zero problems with this policy. I have never even called them one time. They honor my referrals to both my eye doctors, whom I’ve had 2 minor surgery’s with. Which is exactly why I’m reluctant to look into an alternative.
Quote from MattF:
I looked at Massachusetts Blue Cross/Blue Shield a couple years ago. Basic rates start for a single person for as little as $200/month. $225 I think had a much better coverage plan overall.
My employer covers a lot, so we pay like $80ish a month overall...but I'm on the Massachusetts state plan which is even a bit cheaper!
Like Sandy said, I too, think about what I'm using and projecting. I like never go to the doctor's, maybe have a couple of checkups/tests each year elsewhere, rarely take any medications (have asthma which is allergen-induced, even then that's only a 1-2 time a year flair-up). So the costs are still worth it now, as those tests alone would cost probably 2-3 times the amount overall...otherwise take those away, wtf am I paying for? (aside from the "just in case" scenario)
Your paying for somebody else’s huge bills, just like they’ll pay for yours whenever that might happen.
How did Mitt do with the Massachusetts plan anyways? He touted it a lot, but we haven’t heard much about it. Do you you think that could work on a national leverl?
Quote from MattF:
It'll be one way but the other gets cut.
The company I work for (hourly, not salary) announced we were getting a pay raise...which turned out to be just under 2%. No surprise there.
However, they then turned around and eliminated all matching 401K contributions starting next week "until the economic conditions improve."
Not to fully complain, I am working on an exit strategy which involves taking a side job as well for extra pay, but spending as much available time as I can reading, studying, and applying all the learning bits to this field. I too, intend to take the chance and dive in entrepreneurial wise...at this stage really, I don't have much if anything to lose and could gain a lot!
Sadly, others will just sit there and toil, hoping things can get better yet not doing much to better themselves...
You’re exactly proving my point. We’re told to work harder, learn more, get a better job just so we can make the same money. It’s crazy. Nobody’s getting a 15% raise, so why do the health insurance company’s? I really hope your endeavors work out. You have to hit it big now to get ahead. Otherwise you’re stuck on a treadmill. As soon as you work harder they’ll just turn the speed up.
Quote from MattF:
yea...80% in 6 years, 13% or so per year on average.
Many companies however held rates very steady or didn't raise them as we were in a "boom economy" (so-called)...so profits go through the roof...and even more so because pay rates were also held in check or minimized.
Now that growth isn't as big, or as much, suddenly not only are all the cuts being made, rates and costs are seeing double-digit "growth"...which could equate from anything as 30 cents for a food item to 30-40/month for a health plan, to thousands in education...
Well I think we’ve seen a huge inflation boom the past few years. Now that we are in a somewhat deflationary period, you’d think prices would start going down, but I don’t see that. Some of it may be justified. For instance restaurants were absorbing a lot of the costs in rising commodity prices. Now that they have crashed, you aren’t seeing the price drop that we thought would happen because they are trying to make some of that money back. Of couse their employees will never see any a raise from those higher prices.
My company doesn�t provide benefits. I�m a loser pizza delivery driver in case you haven�t read the rest of the thread.
stop calling yourself a loser or it will become true....your life won't change for the better if you don't change your attitude...sandythebestdog, you gave up before even trying...
