What percentage of your pay goes for health insurance??

where I want to · #81 02/03/10, 02:23 PM

6%- self only- no dental or vision.

WindowOrMirror · #82 02/03/10, 03:23 PM

for a family of five, medical, vision, and dental with a $500 deductible, 5.5% of my gross each month.

Aintlifegrand · #83 02/03/10, 03:35 PM

Mine is 0% (paid for completely by my employer) includes dental, vision, term life, short term disability and long term disbility with a non union company/and DH's is less than 1% of his retirement (Tricare). I do not pay co pays or deductibles as Tricare (through DH) is my secondary and it pays those that my primary does not...my meds are anywhere from free at the base or $3.00 for generic to$9.00 for name if I have toget them off base. Should I lose my job or retire early..I will go fully on Tricare... if nothing changes with HC...at age 65 DH and I will be entitled to Tricare for life ( no premiums) and medicare...

Pony · #84 02/03/10, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joshie

The insurance companies are not the ones who are corrupt. The purpose of health insurance is not to pay for your health care. Its purpose is to prevent you from losing your life savings if you were to become ill.

What would you do in my circumstances? We had a daughter born at 22 5/7 weeks. She was vented for nine weeks and hospitalized for 14 weeks. She lived but had significant health issues until the last year or two. She'll be 12 in March. She still uses oxygen when ill, has severe asthma, and takes daily antibiotics to combat chronic sinus infections. She's had surgeries for a g-tube which saved her life and our insurance purchased a wheelchair (~$2000) when she was five because she gets tired when she walks a log time.

I'm 45 years old. Have had significant health problems over the last few years. Over the last year, I developed many more problems. I have difficulty walking, talking, and staying awake. Doctors discovered I have seizures and narcolepsy. I'm soon scheduled for a spinal tap because they think I have a disorder that is fatal without treatment but might be curable.

I would be dead if we didn't have health insurance. My daughter would too. This is because even if every person in our family gave us every cent they had it would not have covered the costs associated with our health problems.

These issues don't even address the health issues my son has. He has also utilized mental health insurance through several different health insurance companies. Funny thing is that my DH is 26 years my senior and he's the healthy one in our family. He has to take care of me when I assumed I'd have to take care of him.

I do not blame our health care providers. They deserve to have their expenses covered and they deserve to make a profit. Drug companies, especially, take huge financial risks when they develop new drug treatments. They should make big bucks on the drugs that come to market to offset the many more drugs that do not make it to market.

I say that we cannot afford NOT to have health insurance.

I didn't say that no one should use health insurance.

I still say that the insurance industry is incredibly corrupt. So are many hospital systems. Most docs are, IMO, at the mercy of insurance companies. Some choose to take the risks and not be associated with them.

You and your family obviously feel the need for health insurance. And that's your choice.

Despite my physical disabilities, I still have the option of not opting in to the system, and I exercise it. For now. If things get worse, I do not know for sure what I would do. I thought my original post conveyed that.

Please do not feel that my disapproval of the only system available to you is a disapproval of YOU or of your choices.

I merely stated my feelings, a bit of my experience, and the choice toward which I lean.

I pray you and your family are blessed with increasingly good health, but most of all, with happiness and merry hearts.

radiofish · #85 02/03/10, 04:57 PM

Between my Federal Worker's Comp where I get my industrial medical treatments and prescriptions for free, and my VA medical care - I have a $0.00 per month insurance payment.. Of course my body has paid the price for that 'free health care', while employed in the military/ and during civil service positions!!

Plus the VA will even mail me my medications that are prescribed by my VA physicians. In cases such as next week when I have to make the 600 mile round trip down to the VA hospital at Ft. Miley in S.F. for additional medical testing. I will ride the VA shuttle bus from Eureka, stay in the VA "Hoptel" on the grounds at the South end of the Golden Gate, and even get to eat some of that delicious/ nutrious hospital food..

As a few of my friends whom are also Veterans state, if health care reform is mandated by the Federal Government, will those of us eligable for VA health care - have the 'Cadillac' of the health care plans???

Gianni · #86 02/03/10, 06:19 PM

5-7% covers health, $600 deductible, dental, vision and term life of 3x salary. My employer sends a cost break down of their costs that includes heat, light and depriciation of the building the people that administer benefits work in so I don't really know about their "true costs'. For you who can afford it and don't the rest of us are picking up your tab, IMO.

paintlady · #87 02/03/10, 06:46 PM

I pay $752.00 for TWO MONTHS with a $2000.00 deductible and an 80/20 copay! In other words, I am working ( self employed) to pay my health insurance which is a monopoly and a rip off if you ask me. I hate paying insurance and Blue Cross has a monopoly around this part of the country on insurance. I had a knee replacement 6 years ago and had a different insurance at that time when I was working outside the home so there is that danged preexisting condition.. I hate paying insurance period but have to have it just in case I get into an accident or something. It is horrible. So, I am paying about 110% for insurance.

GoldenCityMuse · #88 02/03/10, 07:44 PM

I'm a vet, just re-enrolled in the local VA hospital.

For those who had preemie children, yes, they would have died in most parts of the world. Look at Haiti before the earthquake. Our nation is so wealthy compared to much o fthe world.

Chuck R. · #89 02/03/10, 08:02 PM

For us, family of 3 retired Army, Federal employee:

Tricare Prime is $38.35 a month or .03% of gross income.
Dental & Vision is $85.28 a month through work or .07% of my gross income.

.10% total.

Chuck

jil101ca · #90 02/03/10, 08:17 PM

I pay 0% directly, it comes out of everybody's taxes, YEAH Canada!

Pony · #91 02/03/10, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HermitJohn

Since I refuse to buy a very expensive lottery ticket that some greedy private company will abide by their promises and pay for my major medical expenses when needed, guess I will go in for faith healing!

Just look what its done for Oral Roberts. He believed he would die when it was his time and he did..... I have simular strong faith that I will eventually die also. There, all worked out and it didnt cost me a penny.....

Good point. No one gets out of this game alive -- at least not on this side of the game board.

I know where I'm going when I go, and that's not to say that I'm in an all-fired hurry to leave this place. It's just facing facts.

mayfinn farm · #92 02/03/10, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErinP

22% of gross
(closer to 25% of take-home)
$3K deductible.

We were foolish enough to go without heath insurance exactly once in our lives...
It took five years to pay off my healthy-as-a-horse husband's emergency appendectomy. Never again.
I've said this many times-- You aren't insuring yourself against health issues. You're insuring yourself against bankruptcy.

Amen. I have a 5 year old son who has cost insurance companies well over $500, 000 so far. I will never be without health insurance. Of course, I work for the insurance company now, so I don't pay as much as some, roughly around 2%. I have a $3,000 deductible, after that everything is covered 100% including prescriptions. I also have an HSA that is partially employer funded to help cover the deductible.

ErinP · #93 02/03/10, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mayfinn farm

I also have an HSA that is partially employer funded to help cover the deductible.

I envy you.
I remember when the HSA thing went into effect. What wonderful "health care reform" had been enacted!

What people seem to miss is that those of us who have trouble affording health care coverage certainly can't afford to put extra into a savings account...
Even if you don't tax it.

Alex · #94 02/03/10, 11:52 PM

We pay $103 per month for two of us. For EVERYTHING.
Alex

Pony · #95 02/04/10, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gianni

For you who can afford it and don't the rest of us are picking up your tab, IMO.

Really? And how is that?

I cannot afford to carry health insurance. But I am not on Medicaid. I am not on ANY government program, because I don't believe in them.

I'm eligible for disability, but I haven't bothered to pursue it, because I think it's another bloated bureaucratic lousy program.

I haven't asked you -- or anyone else -- for a plug nickel.

I take care of myself. I eat properly, get exercise, supplement with herbals, get a script from my doc when I need it, and get the least expensive-but-still-effective meds because I pay cash for my drugs. If I can't afford it, I do without.

So please, spare me the baloney that you're somehow covering me.

Pony · #96 02/04/10, 07:25 AM

Oh, and one other thing, Gianni, in case you're worried about this as well:

I have an advance directive that, if I'm in a crash or something, not to waste any of your precious money on me.

Beeman · #97 02/04/10, 08:23 AM

WOW! This is an old thread that has come back to life. I would guess it's more relavent now then it was before.
My percentages have changes but I haven't looked at the figures yet. Underemployment has cut my pay for last year so my health ins. percentages have gone up. Cost has stayed the same despite the fact I have one less dependent on the policy as my son has passed the age and gotten his own ins. Funny how that works.

Going back and reading the posts I'd say your best bet is a gov't job or Canada's coverage. Also interesting to see how many have no insurance while many dispute the figures and say it's all illegals that have no ins.

ErinP · #98 02/04/10, 08:31 AM

Most crashes are far from fatal.
They do, however, tend to cost a boat load of money to get the victims fixed up again...

My dad got T-boned on his motorcycle one day.
He shattered his foot and tore his rotator cuff. Hardly deadly, but after the surgeries, rehab, etc, it cost an easy $100K.
With accidents someone's auto insurance is supposed to pick up the tab, depending on whether it's your fault or theirs.

But that illustrates the point that it's pretty easy to run up serious hospital bills and not be in immediate danger of dying.
And when the uninsured do that, it's we that are paying 25% of our income for insurance premiums (or you lucky souls who are less than 10%!!) who have to absorb those costs.

Whether you can afford the premiums or not is irrelevant. The insured are still picking up the costs in increased premiums that are passed along by increased health care costs....

Pony · #99 02/04/10, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErinP

Most crashes are far from fatal.
They do, however, tend to cost a boat load of money to get the victims fixed up again...

My dad got T-boned on his motorcycle one day.
He shattered his foot and tore his rotator cuff. Hardly deadly, but after the surgeries, rehab, etc, it cost an easy $100K.
With accidents someone's auto insurance is supposed to pick up the tab, depending on whether it's your fault or theirs.

But that illustrates the point that it's pretty easy to run up serious hospital bills and not be in immediate danger of dying.
And when the uninsured do that, it's we that are paying 25% of our income for insurance premiums (or you lucky souls who are less than 10%!!) who have to absorb those costs.

Whether you can afford the premiums or not is irrelevant. The insured are still picking up the costs in increased premiums that are passed along by increased health care costs....

I heartily assure you, Erin, that if I do indeed suffer a crash, I will get only the health care I can afford, and will pay for it.

You needn't worry your head about having to fund anyone other than your own little self, okay?

Pony · #**100** 02/04/10, 09:02 AM

My point continues to remain that the system is a dreadful mess, and that if We the People keep playing along with it, it's not going to get any better.

Who knows? I may change my tune if faced with an expensive life-saving surgery. But for now, I have the luxury of being able to live by my convictions.

Before anyone goes thinking I enjoy the bloom of health, be advised that I do suffer from a chronic pain condition. It didn't get better when I had insurance, and it's about the same now that I don't.

I think it's a ----ed shame, though, that the only options many people have to choose are 1) to go without, or 2) turn over the majority of their hard-earned funds to have it.

We can't all get elected to Congress and get their insurance. It really riles me that congress-critters get treated like royalty and get to decide on health care for everyone else. If they had a horse in the race, maybe the insurance co's would be held accountable and we wouldn't all be in this pickle.