Getbig.com: American Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure
Getbig Main Boards => Politics and Political Issues Board => Topic started by: Dos Equis on September 30, 2021, 09:44:27 PM
-
The road to tyranny.
Ochsner will make unvaccinated spouses of employees pay $200 per month to remain insured
BY EMILY WOODRUFF | STAFF WRITER SEP 30, 2021
As the deadline nears for Ochsner Health employees to get vaccinated or lose their jobs, the health system is also increasing pressure for employees' family members to get a shot.
Ochsner, the state's largest health system, will now add a health insurance surcharge of $100 per pay period for employees with unvaccinated domestic partners or spouses who are covered under the system's benefits plan, according to a letter Ochsner leaders sent to employees.
The “spousal COVID vaccine fee,” will begin in 2022 and could deduct up to $2,400 yearly from an employee’s bi-weekly paycheck. According to the letter, the fee is only for domestic partners or spouses, not other dependents, such as children, who are covered by the employee’s health insurance and are eligible for vaccination.
The change comes after an evaluation of plan benefits, services and costs, CEO Warner Thomas said.
"The reality is the cost of treating COVID-19, particularly for patients requiring intensive inpatient care, is expensive, and we spent more than $9 million on COVID care for those who are covered on our health plans over the last year," said Thomas in an emailed statement.
It's becoming more common for employers to make unvaccinated people on employer-sponsored insurance plans pay more to cover the high potential cost of COVID care.
Delta Air Lines, for instance, announced it would raise health insurance premiums by $200 per month for unvaccinated employees starting Nov. 1. In a memo to employees, Delta CEO Ed Bastian said that COVID-19 hospitalizations cost the company an average of $50,000 per case.
Thomas said the surcharge is part of an effort to keep health premiums low for employees. Unvaccinated patients accounted for 90% of COVID hospitalizations in Ochsner facilities.
The premium for unvaccinated spouses shifts that cost to those who accept that risk, said Charles Stoecker, a Tulane University professor who studies the economics of health care and vaccination.
"Now those people have some incentives to consider the cost of the care that they're asking other people to pay for," said Stoecker. "If you're asking everybody else to assume the risk for your unvaccinated stay in the ICU, it does make more sense that you should have to kick in more into the insurance pool."
Stoecker said the policy was similar to a common insurance surcharge for smoking.
Employers are well within their rights to require vaccination from employees and people for whom they provide insurance, according to New Orleans attorney Joel Friedman, a professor at Tulane University who specializes in employment and labor law.
“They have a right to minimize their risks,” said Friedman. “If you have a right to fire a guy for not getting vaccinated, you certainly have the right to put in economic disincentives for people who refuse to get vaccinated.”
As a self-insured organization, Ochsner bears the cost directly from COVID patients who are on their insurance plans.
Earlier this month, a judge dismissed a lawsuit from 48 employees of Ochsner Lafayette General over the health system’s vaccination requirement.
In August, Ochsner joined a growing number of hospitals across the country in requiring all employees to be inoculated. A month out from the October 29 deadline, 82% of Ochsner employees are fully vaccinated and around 86% have received a first dose, according to Thomas. Among physicians and hospital leaders, 98% are vaccinated.
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System was the first large hospital system in Louisiana to announce an employee vaccine mandate, which will be enforced between the end of October or end of November, depending on the employee's position. Since then, LCMC Health, which operates six hospitals in New Orleans, announced a vaccination deadline of December 30 for employees.
Soon nearly every hospital will need to create a vaccination requirement for employees. The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently announced that any health care facility receiving federal funds would also need to comply with an employee vaccination requirement. CMS has not yet released details or a deadline for that mandate.
The letter from Ochsner said that other health care organizations in the state such as Our Lady of the Lake and LCMC Health would be asking the families of employees to be vaccinated. Representatives for those hospitals said they did not plan to charge a fee for unvaccinated spouses or partners.
Ochsner emphasized that this is not a forced requirement and employee spouses and partners could pursue other insurance coverage.
"This is not a mandate as non-employed spouses and domestic partners can choose to select a health plan outside of Ochsner Health offerings," said Thomas.
Approximately 300 of Ochsner's 33,000 employees have applied for medical or religious exemptions to date. Spouses and partners may also apply for those types of exemptions.
https://www.nola.com/news/coronavirus/article_655e1d94-2220-11ec-9d79-2f7db348f897.html
-
Unreal.
Will they surcharge for the obese and smokers too?
-
Make it 2000 so we can see some commotion. Cowards.
-
Unreal.
Will they surcharge for the obese and smokers too?
there's already an insurance surcharge for smokers, you pay a %50 higher premium.
-
there's already an insurance surcharge for smokers, you pay a %50 higher premium.
Not for the employee's family members who smoke.
-
The road to tyranny.
Ochsner will make unvaccinated spouses of employees pay $200 per month to remain insured
BY EMILY WOODRUFF | STAFF WRITER SEP 30, 2021
As the deadline nears for Ochsner Health employees to get vaccinated or lose their jobs, the health system is also increasing pressure for employees' family members to get a shot.
Ochsner, the state's largest health system, will now add a health insurance surcharge of $100 per pay period for employees with unvaccinated domestic partners or spouses who are covered under the system's benefits plan, according to a letter Ochsner leaders sent to employees.
The “spousal COVID vaccine fee,” will begin in 2022 and could deduct up to $2,400 yearly from an employee’s bi-weekly paycheck. According to the letter, the fee is only for domestic partners or spouses, not other dependents, such as children, who are covered by the employee’s health insurance and are eligible for vaccination.
The change comes after an evaluation of plan benefits, services and costs, CEO Warner Thomas said.
"The reality is the cost of treating COVID-19, particularly for patients requiring intensive inpatient care, is expensive, and we spent more than $9 million on COVID care for those who are covered on our health plans over the last year," said Thomas in an emailed statement.
It's becoming more common for employers to make unvaccinated people on employer-sponsored insurance plans pay more to cover the high potential cost of COVID care.
Delta Air Lines, for instance, announced it would raise health insurance premiums by $200 per month for unvaccinated employees starting Nov. 1. In a memo to employees, Delta CEO Ed Bastian said that COVID-19 hospitalizations cost the company an average of $50,000 per case.
Thomas said the surcharge is part of an effort to keep health premiums low for employees. Unvaccinated patients accounted for 90% of COVID hospitalizations in Ochsner facilities.
The premium for unvaccinated spouses shifts that cost to those who accept that risk, said Charles Stoecker, a Tulane University professor who studies the economics of health care and vaccination.
"Now those people have some incentives to consider the cost of the care that they're asking other people to pay for," said Stoecker. "If you're asking everybody else to assume the risk for your unvaccinated stay in the ICU, it does make more sense that you should have to kick in more into the insurance pool."
Stoecker said the policy was similar to a common insurance surcharge for smoking.
Employers are well within their rights to require vaccination from employees and people for whom they provide insurance, according to New Orleans attorney Joel Friedman, a professor at Tulane University who specializes in employment and labor law.
“They have a right to minimize their risks,” said Friedman. “If you have a right to fire a guy for not getting vaccinated, you certainly have the right to put in economic disincentives for people who refuse to get vaccinated.”
As a self-insured organization, Ochsner bears the cost directly from COVID patients who are on their insurance plans.
Earlier this month, a judge dismissed a lawsuit from 48 employees of Ochsner Lafayette General over the health system’s vaccination requirement.
In August, Ochsner joined a growing number of hospitals across the country in requiring all employees to be inoculated. A month out from the October 29 deadline, 82% of Ochsner employees are fully vaccinated and around 86% have received a first dose, according to Thomas. Among physicians and hospital leaders, 98% are vaccinated.
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System was the first large hospital system in Louisiana to announce an employee vaccine mandate, which will be enforced between the end of October or end of November, depending on the employee's position. Since then, LCMC Health, which operates six hospitals in New Orleans, announced a vaccination deadline of December 30 for employees.
Soon nearly every hospital will need to create a vaccination requirement for employees. The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently announced that any health care facility receiving federal funds would also need to comply with an employee vaccination requirement. CMS has not yet released details or a deadline for that mandate.
The letter from Ochsner said that other health care organizations in the state such as Our Lady of the Lake and LCMC Health would be asking the families of employees to be vaccinated. Representatives for those hospitals said they did not plan to charge a fee for unvaccinated spouses or partners.
Ochsner emphasized that this is not a forced requirement and employee spouses and partners could pursue other insurance coverage.
"This is not a mandate as non-employed spouses and domestic partners can choose to select a health plan outside of Ochsner Health offerings," said Thomas.
Approximately 300 of Ochsner's 33,000 employees have applied for medical or religious exemptions to date. Spouses and partners may also apply for those types of exemptions.
https://www.nola.com/news/coronavirus/article_655e1d94-2220-11ec-9d79-2f7db348f897.html
what's the average bill for a hospital stay for Covid
It's a hell of a lot more than $200 a month
https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/09/health/covid-19-hospitalization-cost-vaccination/index.html
-
Not for the employee's family members who smoke.
how do you know?
btw - did you see this sentence in the story you posted
Thomas said the surcharge is part of an effort to keep health premiums low for employees. Unvaccinated patients accounted for 90% of COVID hospitalizations in Ochsner facilities.
-
Not for the employee's family members who smoke.
Then there should be. Stat.
-
Then there should be. Stat.
And for fat people. Stat.
-
Then there should be. Stat.
Seriously bro? You think an employer should force your family member to get shots, medical procedures, etc.? You don't believe that.
-
And for fat people. Stat.
That would actually make more sense given the relationship between Covid hospitalizations and obesity.
But that would still be a tyrannical abuse of civil liberties.
-
That would actually make more sense given the relationship between Covid hospitalizations and obesity.
But that would still be a tyrannical abuse of civil liberties.
It's a Pandora's Box.
-
It's a Pandora's Box.
Definitely. The box is open already. We set the stage for this by rolling over and allowing mayors and governors to suspend state laws and constitutions, indefinitely, with very little pushback. It's a runaway train.
-
Seriously bro? You think an employer should force your family member to get shots, medical procedures, etc.? You don't believe that.
I was responding to your post about smoking. If you cover a smoker there should be a surcharge.
-
Definitely. The box is open already. We set the stage for this by rolling over and allowing mayors and governors to suspend state laws and constitutions, indefinitely, with very little pushback. It's a runaway train.
They will get away with it until they don't get away with it. There will be millions of disgruntled individuals with an axe to grind. I suspect some of these "leaders" will get a little surprise waiting for them eventually.
-
No worries though.. no vax for illegals and free healthcare!!
Good country amerika!!
-
I was responding to your post about smoking. If you cover a smoker there should be a surcharge.
Ok. Tracking. But where do you draw the line? If they impose a penalty on the employee because his wife smokes, should they also impose a penalty if the wife is obese?
-
They will get away with it until they don't get away with it. There will be millions of disgruntled individuals with an axe to grind. I suspect some of these "leaders" will get a little surprise waiting for them eventually.
I want to believe you. The past 1.5 years of people just bending over and taking it gives me great pause. If enough people fought these mandates, etc. the mandates would stop. But it's really hard when you're talking about the ability of folks to put food on their table.
-
Ok. Tracking. But where do you draw the line? If they impose a penalty on the employee because his wife smokes, should they also impose a penalty if the wife is obese?
Sure. If the employee doesn't like it, his/her spouse can either quit smoking, lose weight or go out and pick up his/her own policy therefore not punishing the employee.
-
Seriously bro? You think an employer should force your family member to get shots, medical procedures, etc.? You don't believe that.
No one is forcing them to get anything "bro"
All they are saying is if you don't get vaccinated you're a higher financial risk (and they have the data to prove it) so you have to pay a bit more in monthly premium
that's all so... relax bro
-
The road to tyranny.
Ochsner will make unvaccinated spouses of employees pay $200 per month to remain insured
BY EMILY WOODRUFF | STAFF WRITER SEP 30, 2021
https://www.nola.com/news/coronavirus/article_655e1d94-2220-11ec-9d79-2f7db348f897.html
Vaccination Mandates Are an American Tradition. So Is the Backlash. The roots of U.S. vaccine mandates predate both the U.S. and vaccines.
(https://static01.nyt.com/images/2021/09/09/us/politics/09onpolitics-pm-newsletter/09onpolitics-pm-newsletter-superJumbo.jpg?quality=90&auto=webp)
-
Not for the employee's family members who smoke.
That's actually a good idea since second hand smoke has been shown to cause lung cancer. My stepdad didn't smoke cigarettes and my mom was a chain smoker. My stepdad died from lung cancer. My mom died from emphysema. If a family member smokes and you don't, insist that do it outside or at least in the garage.
-
Vaccination Mandates Are an American Tradition.
So is Slavery....... does that make it right?
-
So is Slavery....... does that make it right?
An absolutely ignorant attempt at moral equivalency. Please try again.
-
They should absolutely charge fat people more.
-
So is Slavery....... does that make it right?
I don't recall saying anything about whether I thought the vaccine mandates were right or wrong. I simply pointed out that this is not the first time the U.S. has mandated vaccines.
-
I don't recall saying anything about whether I thought the vaccine mandates were right or wrong. I simply pointed out that this is not the first time the U.S. has mandated vaccines.
but by someone says "its not the first time" aka "precedent" doesn't mean its something that should be pushed again just because there's a history of something being done
all I'm sayin'
-
Vaccination Mandates Are an American Tradition. So Is the Backlash. The roots of U.S. vaccine mandates predate both the U.S. and vaccines.
(https://static01.nyt.com/images/2021/09/09/us/politics/09onpolitics-pm-newsletter/09onpolitics-pm-newsletter-superJumbo.jpg?quality=90&auto=webp)
There is no American tradition of imposing a vaccine mandate in circumstances like this where the vaccine is new and essentially still experimental because we do not know the long-term side-effects and the vaccine doesn't give you immunity from either catching or spreading the disease.
-
That's actually a good idea since second hand smoke has been shown to cause lung cancer. My stepdad didn't smoke cigarettes and my mom was a chain smoker. My stepdad died from lung cancer. My mom died from emphysema. If a family member smokes and you don't, insist that do it outside or at least in the garage.
No it isn't. Your employer shouldn't dictate what your family members do in their private lives. That's crazy.
-
No it isn't. Your employer shouldn't dictate what your family members do in their private lives. That's crazy.
Pay attention bro
No one is making anyone do anything
They can CHOOSE to get the vaccine or they can CHOOSE to pay $200 more per month or they can CHOOSE find new insurance
I guess they could just charge EVERYONE more but that doesn't seem fair does it bro?
Did you happen to read the story you posted?
"The reality is the cost of treating COVID-19, particularly for patients requiring intensive inpatient care, is expensive, and we spent more than $9 million on COVID care for those who are covered on our health plans over the last year," said Thomas in an emailed statement.
It's becoming more common for employers to make unvaccinated people on employer-sponsored insurance plans pay more to cover the high potential cost of COVID care.
Delta Air Lines, for instance, announced it would raise health insurance premiums by $200 per month for unvaccinated employees starting Nov. 1. In a memo to employees, Delta CEO Ed Bastian said that COVID-19 hospitalizations cost the company an average of $50,000 per case.
Thomas said the surcharge is part of an effort to keep health premiums low for employees. Unvaccinated patients accounted for 90% of COVID hospitalizations in Ochsner facilities.
-
but by someone says "its not the first time" aka "precedent" doesn't mean its something that should be pushed again just because there's a history of something being done
all I'm sayin'
Of course. Wars have happened multiple times, most would agree not to do it again if it is at all avoidable. What was interesting about the article to me was that it showed not only were vaccines mandated, many people objected to the mandate, just as they do now. There are times when we can learn something from past experiences even if it is to not repeat it.