Fewer get workplace health plans (45% now was 63% in 93)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2003/09/19/fewer_get_workplace_health_plans/

Americans who receive health insurance through their employers have dropped to less than one- half of all workers from about two- thirds a decade ago, according to a report on the nation's health coverage released yesterday by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Health specialists said the decline in employer-sponsored health coverage stems from soaring insurance premiums and the inability of workers and small employers to afford the increasingly costly coverage. The report said there was a 75 percent increase in premiums paid by employees for their share of health coverage over the past decade, outpacing wages or inflation.

Shifts in the composition of the US work force and the recent economic decline also caused coverage to fall. Manufacturing employment has dropped steadily, and there has been a rise in the percentage of workers employed by service companies, which are less likely to offer health coverage to the extent that employers in traditional industries do. While half of workers in blue-collar jobs have health insurance, only 22 percent of low-wage workers are covered in service occupations such as waitresses, dental assistants, security guards, or childcare workers, the bureau said.

"We're really moving from a highly unionized and manufacturing-based economy to a service-based economy and to an economy in which many of the newest jobs created are in small businesses where benefits are least likely to be offered," said Diane Rowland, executive vice president of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a health care policy and research organization.

[baby_bear]

1. Gephardt should be able to make something of this

His proposal for health care includes offering tax credits to help off-set employers' costs for offering health care benefits.

What I don't get -- and maybe someone here can educate me -- is, can't an employer offer a plan but make the employees pay for virtually all of it? I'm not promoting it, but if the employer really can't afford to pay 50%, then at least offering the employees a group plan they can buy into would be way cheaper than making them find their own out on the street.

There must be something wrong with that scenario, because I have never heard it happening.

Any ideas? It's a crime that so many employees don't even have the option of group health care plans. And you just know that, of the 43% who do, those at the top end of the wage scale are all covered.

s_m

[RamboLiberal]

2. One problem is in this service based economy

with low wages a lot of employees can't afford the copayments to their employer. I know some employees in the company I work for who are married who can't afford it.

And employers are getting hammered with rising costs every year.

But it won't be an issue till the Repugs start losing their health insurance.

I often wonder if the think-they're wealthy Repugs of my generation (the boomers) aren't going to be off to DC crying in their golden years when they find out everything's been stripped from them by the cabal they helped put in power.

[UserNamesAreFree]

3. The decline of unions

also contributes to this.

[newyawker99]

9. Hi UserNamesAreFree!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[jmm]

6. My mom's job is changing health plans because of rising rates

Now, for individual coverage her job will pay $261.45 a month and she'll have to pay $49.80. For a those who need a family plan, the company will pay $655.25 a month and the employee will pay $153.70 a month.

If her employer made people pay for virtually all of it, many wouldn't be able to afford it. Unless the entire health care system in this country is revamped I can only see the problem getting worse.

edited for clarity

[FlaGranny]

13. Your mom is getting a great deal!

She's very fortunate to work for a company that pays that much of the premium.

[VRSCAman]

16. Group vs Individual.

Actualy it is far less expensive for an individual health plan than for group coverage. Even if I were to take a job that offered health benefits I would not even think of droping my individual coverage.

[Nottingham]

4. Pretty soon all of Americans not on Medicaid or Medicare Uninsured

Thats why our health system is collapsing :bounce:

[spinbaby]

5. I've known two people who DIED from lack of insurance

The first was my son's guitar teacher. Skinny guy in his early 40s. Had chest pains one day and didn't go to the emergency room because he was afraid it would be too expensive. He died of a heart attack.

The second was my husband's second cousin who died only last week. He worked in a non-union coal mine--no rights and no benefits. He was going to the doctor with a lot of "stomach" problems and was getting various medicines for it. He should have had a colonoscopy but didn't think he could afford it. Eventually the mine fired him for missing too much work. A week after he was fired, he died at home from undiagosed colon cancer. He was 46.


I also knew a woman who knew she was growing a tumor but put off going to the doctor for a month until her new company health insurance kicked in. She lived.

[Skittles]

7. lest people think spinbaby's stories are outrageous

they are NOT. Stuff like this is happening every day, all around the country. I won't even get STARTED on people who are able to see a doctor but then cannot afford the medicine to cure them or ease their pain. Well, maybe I will. I just helped an elderly neighbor pay for medicine that totalled hundreds of dollars. I HATE REPUBLICANS.

[RamboLiberal]

8. No Spinbaby's stories are all too true

And we need a media outlet that gets these stories out every day.

And now the damn Bush cabal is trying to shut down American's getting their drugs from Canada while states even are starting to rebel and saying FU to Whistle-Ass and the Repugs and going to Canada for drugs.

At some point we may see a new Civil War - between governors and the Feds. Even the Red State governors may rebel here.

[AndyTiedye]

14. And They Pilloried Hillory for Trying to Fix It

[JanMichael]

15. My uncle (61) is going through that RIGHT NOW!

He had a heart attack (and stroke) on Tuesday, they didn't think he'd make it past Thursday but he did.

It's still touch and go but I can say this...My mother is there with him and she emailed this to me earlier today:

"In many ways, Von is better. If it was ONLY a heart attack it would be nice.
However, he has had a stroke, too. It affected his right arm and his speech.
His right arm seems to be improving daily. I don't think that will be a problem. His speech is really bad. However, some of that could be from the tubes they just removed.

"He has a good chance of recovering up to 90% where he was. It will
require a lot of therapy."

I don't know what is going to happen when the hospital finds out he has no insurance. I know that he is so worried. He tears up and I know it is because he is so worried about money. I am going to try to talk with a social
worker before I leave. Georgie (HIS WIFE) has alzheimers;"

Anyway...I'm just sick...Anyone that can't see the need for Universal HC can kiss my ass...

Gotta run.

[hedda_foil]

10. Let me tell you another story ...

I'm self employed and "lucky" enough to be able to get a group plan through a professional association. I say lucky because like most people over 40 and (many under that)I have a few MINOR pre-existing conditions. Nothing major at all. However, the inexpensive individual plans kick out virtually everyone with pre-existing conditions of any sort. (They also either kick out or jack up the rates on individual policyholders with any real claims, so the advertised rates are no more than "teasers" at best.)

The rate my organization got, which is NOT rated by age is $530 a month per person. That means I, as an individual, pay $530 without dental or vision coverage. Each additional family member, both spouse and children, cost an additional $530 a month.

Think about that, folks. For a family of four that means about $25,000 in insurance premiums. Who the HELL can afford rates like that? Most self-employed people (and mine is a freelance writing/editorial group) and small business owners can't possibly ante up this kind of money. That means fewer small businesses for one thing because people who are employed can't afford to quit their jobs unless their spouse's policy gives great rates for employees' families. And it also means that people who have had to try to go it alone because they can't find jobs also can't possibly afford insurance.

[sspiderjohn]

11. What can we do to help? Other than vote

and spread the word? Any kind of activism in the work place that would help?

[damnraddem]

12. A major excuse for Clinton's 'employer mandate' as the centerpiece ...

of his health reform plan was that the U.S. was already largely covered through employer plans. Given the drop in coverage since, there will be a clearer argument for single-payer coverage the next time health payment reform is seriously discussed.