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Getbig Main Boards => General Topics => Topic started by: buffbodz on October 25, 2006, 08:01:15 AM
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The national figure is 45% of us don't have any health care insurance at all. We pay $125 per week! I don't know how much longer I can make these payments. The car I could be driving, just not having to get that 125 per week is tuff enough, now they say get ready for an increase. The plan is a good one, United Health, but how many Get Biggers have none at all. 1 accident could wipe out one's finances. Their was a good story on it in the Pro Jo This morning. I don't know where these # come from, but 500 a month is crazy and the co-pays aren't cheep either. What a mess. ???
Cost for health insurance outpacing R.I. incomes
01:00 AM EDT on Wednesday, October 25, 2006
By Felice J. Freyer
Journal Medical Writer
Health-insurance premiums in Rhode Island are rising much faster than income, according to a new report by a national consumer group.
From 2000 to 2006, premiums increased 75 percent while median earnings went up only 23 percent. That means that premiums here are growing more than three times faster than income, says an analysis by Families USA, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that advocates affordable health care for all. Meanwhile, these more costly plans carry higher deductibles and co-payments.
For the Rhode Island worker who has watched health premiums consume an ever-fatter chunk of the paycheck, this report may merely validate a long-felt pain rather than offering any surprising new facts.
But Ron Pollack, Families USA executive director, said he was surprised at the size of the disparity between premium growth and income growth around the nation.
Rhode Islanders, in fact, are faring comparatively well, because their incomes have increased more, according to the Families USA data. Nationwide, premiums are soaring 6 ½ times faster than income, with premiums going up 74 percent while median earnings increased only 12 percent during the six-year period.
“It’s clear that premiums are absorbing a larger and larger portion of available income,” Pollack said. “For that reason, more and more people in the state of Rhode Island are at risk of joining the ranks of the underinsured and uninsured.”
Already, more than 13 percent of Rhode Islanders under age 65 have no health insurance, up from 8.1 percent in 1999.
Christopher F. Koller, Rhode Island’s health insurance commissioner, said Families USA’s statistics were in line with those gathered by his office. Additionally, a 2005 survey of employers in Rhode Island found that fewer employers are offering health insurance, with the dropoff greatest among the smallest employers.
But Koller noted that efforts are under way on several fronts to address the problem in Rhode Island, including a task force examining better ways to care for those with costly chronic illnesses and an innovative effort to develop a low-cost health plan for small companies and individuals. Koller’s office is also leading efforts to make public the cost of specific health-care services, promoting workplace wellness programs and changing the way insurers reimburse doctors to better support primary care.
“We don’t see a national solution emerging soon,” Koller said, “and we’re not going to sit around and wait for it. We’re going to do what we can as a community.”
Kim Keough, spokeswoman for Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, also did not dispute the report’s findings. “Sadly enough, I’m not surprised,” she said. She noted that health-care expenditures have increased 400 percent in recent years, and that if the trend continues, premiums will be consuming people’s entire paychecks in 22 years.
Keough said that Blue Cross tries to control costs by tracking doctors who bill unusually high amounts, limiting reimbursement to hospitals, promoting health and wellness programs, boosting the use of generic drugs, and educating members on when to use the emergency room. But she said, “No sole entity can do this alone. It’s really going to take a united effort.”
Pollack, of Families USA, said that over the long term, premium increases correlate closely with medical costs, so the underlying problem is how much Americans spend on health care, rather than manipulation by insurance companies.
Families USA calls its report the first state-by-state comparison of premiums and income. Pollack said his group conducted the study to get state-specific information after recent reports looked at the issue on a national basis. The state reports are also, he acknowledged, an effort to get health care on the political agenda in states with hotly contested congressional races.
Asked whether efforts on the state level can address the problem, Pollack said that states can make a difference, but “ultimately, this is truly a national problem. … To be truly effective, it’s going to require leadership on the federal level.”
Pollack acknowledged that there is now little political will to tackle the issue comprehensively on the federal level. Even so, he said, in the near future the federal government can make a big difference by reauthorizing a program providing health insurance to poor children, and expanding it to encompass the remaining 9 million uninsured children. Also, amending the new Medicare law to empower the federal government to negotiate prices with drug manufacturers could save money for everyone, Pollack said.
To develop its state reports, Families USA interpreted data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, and the U.S. Department of Labor.
Families USA is financed chiefly by large foundations, such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Packard Foundation and the Kellogg Foundation.
Health care in Rhode Island
From 2000 to 2006:
•Annual health-insurance premiums for family coverage provided through the workplace rose from $6,904 to $12,071, an increase of $5,167 or 74.8 percent.
•Median earnings of workers increased from $26,164 to $32,134 or 22.8 percent.
•For family health coverage, the employer’s portion of annual premiums rose from $5,314 to $9,343, an increase of 75.8 percent.
•For family health coverage, the worker’s portion of annual premiums rose from $1,590 to $2,728, an increase of 71.6 percent.
•For individual health coverage, the employer’s portion of annual premiums rose from $2,382 to $4,280, an increase of 79.7 percent.
•For individual health coverage, the worker’s portion of annual premiums rose from $446 to $952, an increase of 113.4 percent.
Source: Premiums versus Paychecks: A Growing Burden for Rhode Island’s Workers. Families USA.
www.familiesusa.org/resources/publications/reporters/ri-premiums-vs-paychecks.html
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health insurance is incredibly high. I am a diabetic and now that i am self employed (1099) whatever you want to call it, basically makes it impossible for me to get coverage. I basically have to go out of pocket for everything. Luckily i have a great doctor that reduced his office visit charge and sometimes doesnt charge me. He aso dispenses Rx's from his office and will discount the costs. Yet, my insulin i pay at least $75 a month more if i have to refill both types, my testing supplies which are around $100 month, plus my other medications. it is stupidly expensive. ften times i have to skip my meds or take less of them to make themlast longer. I have been denied insurance by all the companies due to my pre-eisting condition. Yet when i worked ofr a company i was accepted no questions asked. I am actually consideing getting a second job just so that i can get health insurance. its horrible
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Why not just move to Britain, get free health care and never have to work again! :-\
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Becuase they have funny accents, bad teeth, drive on the worng side of the road, have shit for food, and everytime i see pics of England it's always friggin foggy or rainy. Looks depressing as f*ck
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health insurance is incredibly high. I am a diabetic and now that i am self employed (1099) whatever you want to call it, basically makes it impossible for me to get coverage. I basically have to go out of pocket for everything. Luckily i have a great doctor that reduced his office visit charge and sometimes doesnt charge me. He aso dispenses Rx's from his office and will discount the costs. Yet, my insulin i pay at least $75 a month more if i have to refill both types, my testing supplies which are around $100 month, plus my other medications. it is stupidly expensive. ften times i have to skip my meds or take less of them to make themlast longer. I have been denied insurance by all the companies due to my pre-eisting condition. Yet when i worked ofr a company i was accepted no questions asked. I am actually consideing getting a second job just so that i can get health insurance. its horrible
Just out of interest, what would happen say if you were unable to work for whatever reason and you were unable to afford you meds? Surely there must be some safety net for people who need certain meds to live (in your case insulin) that simply cannot afford them
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there are some programs, but you really have to be hard up to qualify. There is medicaid, but from what i can remember it is difficult to apply if you are self employed.
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I feel your pain. I was sick a few years ago and lost My coverage. I ended up with a policy through the state that was almost 600 a month. How do they expect someone that can't work, to pay that kind of premium. I knew We'd hear move to Canada or GB, but that's not an option. This problem must be fixed at home. I'm voting for the candidate who has this agenda high on their list and will follow through. It's that or nothing and that will surly break the bank.
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there are some programs, but you really have to be hard up to qualify. There is medicaid, but from what i can remember it is difficult to apply if you are self employed.
I see, Must be a difficult situation sometimes I guess
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Becuase they have funny accents, bad teeth, drive on the worng side of the road, have shit for food, and everytime i see pics of England it's always friggin foggy or rainy. Looks depressing as f*ck
It's been pissing it down all day lol
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Becuase they have funny accents, bad teeth, drive on the worng side of the road, have shit for food, and everytime i see pics of England it's always friggin foggy or rainy. Looks depressing as f*ck
Bad teeth, not in this day and age brother ::)
We have a poetic reason for driving on the left side (which is the correct side to drive on)
Best restaraunts in the WORLD are in Britain.
Foggy? ??? Erm you're an ignorant fool it's foggy max 5 days a fucking year you tit! You've been watching too many "Shurlock Holmes misterious murders in foggy London" movies you dimwitt. ::)
But yeah, the muzzies have brought this country down, so it is a shithole.
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it can be difficult. I recently went to mexico on vacationa nd stocked up on some medications. Same stuff for less than a third of the price. I was lucky a few years ago. I went into the hospital for pancreatitis. a week later i came home and since i had insurance i paid very little. My medical bills were 25k! Then i had to stay out for medical leave while i recooped at home and my employer offered me medical pay at less than half my monthly salary for the time i was out. That wouldnt cover my expenses. I instead told them that i would take all my vacation days insteasd as i would get paid my normal salary.
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settle down son, it was joke. Who pissed on your fish and chips?
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settle down son, it was joke. Who pissed on your fish and chips?
The british goverment pissed on my fish and chips >:(
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The british goverment pissed on my fish and chips >:(
those F*CKERS. I actually am wanting to go there for vacation next year. Not sure excalty the best place though.
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those F*CKERS. I actually am wanting to go there for vacation next year. Not sure excalty the best place though.
London (only because you have to, it's the capital), Scotland (maybe the scottish highlands depending on what you're into), Republic of Ireland, Cornwall, Cotswolds, Lake District and the Norfolk broads are cool.
Stay the fuck away from Birmingham and Bradford!
If you're gay, maybe come to Manchester and go to the gay clubs! :-X
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it can be difficult. I recently went to mexico on vacationa nd stocked up on some medications. Same stuff for less than a third of the price. I was lucky a few years ago. I went into the hospital for pancreatitis. a week later i came home and since i had insurance i paid very little. My medical bills were 25k! Then i had to stay out for medical leave while i recooped at home and my employer offered me medical pay at less than half my monthly salary for the time i was out. That wouldnt cover my expenses. I instead told them that i would take all my vacation days insteasd as i would get paid my normal salary.
I feel for you mate. But here's the bit I don't understand. If so many people are struggling and even more are going without insurance, then why do Americans mock countries that have free healthcare? Wouldn't people rather just pay say $20 a week from their wage for the peace of mind of being able to get medicine and treatment should you take ill? It won't turn you into communist believe it or not ;)
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I'm from the boston area....
I got a good job and for family medical coverage I pay about 80 dollars a week.
My neighbor is self employed as a carpenter and has to pay his own...approx 15,000 dollars a year.
Almost quadruple what I pay.....so I guess 80 ain't too bad.
Damn medical insurance is really the number one reason why I get up and go to work every morning.
If I didn't have it and something happened to me where I needed serious medical attention....i.e. chemo...operation etc. I could lose everything I ever worked for...especially my house.
National healthcare would be sweet but I don't see it ever happening in the U.S.
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Hey,
What is a good independent health insurance coverage for a 30 year old healthy white male?
I am signed on with my wife (teacher with a great plan), but with the new baby it's about to go thru the roof, and we'd save a ton of $ by dropping me. The school system charges the same if you're young and healthy or old, fat, and diabetic. So I really need to find an independent thing for just me.
Any ideas? thanks
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I pay $315.00 per month for private insurance (Pacifcare) for all three of us.
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hmm, i pay $650 for 3 >:( Western Medical
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I don't know what I pay, but whatever it is it's too much. I go to the doctor about once every other year, if that much.
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I feel for you mate. But here's the bit I don't understand. If so many people are struggling and even more are going without insurance, then why do Americans mock countries that have free healthcare? Wouldn't people rather just pay say $20 a week from their wage for the peace of mind of being able to get medicine and treatment should you take ill? It won't turn you into communist believe it or not ;)
I think that the perception is that here in the STates you can get an MRI at will and other tests like that, where as in Canada and Europe you have to wait unless its an emergency. Not sure if that is the reality or not as i have never been to a european hospital or ever needed care when traveling. Also, americans are stupid. lol
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Holy shit you guys are getting raped.. I work for Appollo Group... University of Phoenix. And my insurance is so damn cheap its disgusting, I hadnt had insurance for 6 years before that... But as of right now for my fiance and I.(yeah they let me have her on there and were not married pretty sweet for her) We have United Health Care for our medical and MetLife for my dentsal she doesnt get dental, and i get Vision all for Medical= $66 dollars a pay period and for my Dental and Vision i pay an extra 2.65 a pay period...(every 2 weeks) My co-pays for doctors are 15 dollars and 25 for emergency and speacialists.. And i only pay 10 dollars per perscription...
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Holy shit you guys are getting raped.. I work for Appollo Group... University of Phoenix. And my insurance is so damn cheap its disgusting, I hadnt had insurance for 6 years before that... But as of right now for my fiance and I.(yeah they let me have her on there and were not married pretty sweet for her) We have United Health Care for our medical and MetLife for my dentsal she doesnt get dental, and i get Vision all for Medical= $66 dollars a pay period and for my Dental and Vision i pay an extra 2.65 a pay period...(every 2 weeks) My co-pays for doctors are 15 dollars and 25 for emergency and speacialists.. And i only pay 10 dollars per perscription...
asshole
;D
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I know but like i said i havent had insurance for 5 or 6 years and dude ive taken full advantage of it, had chest pains the other day went and saw the speacialist and paid 50 bucks for two visits one which included a mri and ultra sound of my heart....
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yeah when i had insurance it was great. i had United, great company, then switched to kiaser due to my jobs benefit plans, still good. Now without it, i am afraid to get hurt. If i cant fix it with duct tape and popsicle stickes im f*cked
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yeah when i had insurance it was great. i had United, great company, then switched to kiaser due to my jobs benefit plans, still good. Now without it, i am afraid to get hurt. If i cant fix it with duct tape and popsicle stickes im f*cked
Thats how i used to have to do it... Or wait till i went to work and faked the accident on the job site when no one was around and then made them pay for it and collected workmans comp for a week till it healed then went back to work....Yeah i also got that shit where if i loose my job i can keep this insurance for ever for an added 10 more bucks a month. I believe its called viper or something....
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Thats how i used to have to do it... Or wait till i went to work and faked the accident on the job site when no one was around and then made them pay for it and collected workmans comp for a week till it healed then went back to work....Yeah i also got that shit where if i loose my job i can keep this insurance for ever for an added 10 more bucks a month. I believe its called viper or something....
cobra i think
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cobra i think
That's what it is, Yeah Migas your 100% right, yeah my dad gets pissed everytime we talk insurance because it cost him an extra 250 to add my mom on his and there married so i rub it in his face all the time. And i earn like 6 hours of sick time every two weeks that can add up to 500 hours but not to exceed 500. (which is all paid time off) and i get two weeks paid vacation every year. so its a nice little bene's package and shit...
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I know but like i said i havent had insurance for 5 or 6 years and dude ive taken full advantage of it, had chest pains the other day went and saw the speacialist and paid 50 bucks for two visits one which included a mri and ultra sound of my heart....
That was just the tests. What if the results are bad and you must go in. That would double suck with no insurance.
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That was just the tests. What if the results are bad and you must go in. That would double suck with no insurance.
Wouldnt suck my insurance would cover almost all of the cost.... so it wouldnt have been a big deal to me.... shit if something went wrong with me im covered and if i died the wife would be rich so i could care less anymore about hospital visits my insurance card is like a new visa i just dont pay much for the thousands i spend