Health Insurance Rant!

[GOPisEvil]

OK - as many of you know, I am employed by the state of Texas. It's a good place to work all things considered. I am relatively well-paid, my hours are good, and we get decent benefits (for example my health insurance premium is paid by the state - those with dependents get 50% premium coverage).

Now, of course the economy is in the shitter, and the state was $10 billion short of having a balanced budget, which is constitutionally mandated. So, who gets to foot part of the bill? Us expensive state employees, that's who.

Last year, there were (I think) 4 HMOs serving my area (Austin). Also serving my area was the traditional Blue Cross Blue Shield. My HMO was owned by BCBS, and it was great. I went with them because I had previous issues with other HMOs, and I figured BCBS would never get boght out by one of the more evil companies. Well, fast forward to May of this year. Seems that to assist with the budget shortfall THIS year, the BCBS HMO had to go. All of us served by this HMO were transferred over to regular BCBS. :mad:

Now, open enrollment is going on now, so I thought I'd do a little research. HMOs mean less money out of pocket and less co-pays (none of that 80-20 crap). There is exactly ONE HMO operating that covers Austin. ONE. And, it has no primary care physicians in the city. ZERO. The closest one is in Round Rock, probably 10-12 miles from me, but for the people in South Austin, that is a HAUL. Also note that there are 3 doctors at this clinic, and only one of them is taking patients without approval. :grr: So, here's my choices: go with the HMO, but deal with a doctor that is less convenient OR stay with BCBS and deal with paying more out of pocket if I get sick!

Lovely...just lovely...thanks Shrub for your mis-handling of the economy. Thanks to you, I get NO PAY RAISE THIS YEAR - in fact, due to the higher health care co-pays, I actually get a PAY DECREASE.

Now, I know I am lucky to have some sort of health insurance. I'm lucky to be employed. But, sheesh! State government used to offer really good benefits. Now, we get bare bones. I'd rather pay $50 a month and get the coverage we used to have.

:argh: If you got this far - thanks for reading!

[geniph]

1. Same here, David

I work for a K-12 public school district - we have reasonably decent benefits, all things considered, but our absolute cheapest health care option will now cost me almost $350 a month out of pocket to cover myself and my husband. The most expensive plan would cost me $800 a month out of pocket! That's insane. I haven't even BEEN to a doctor since 9/11/01!

I wish I could just get major medical, for emergencies, and pocket the difference, but that's not an option.

[Deja Q]

2. Preferable to being unemployed

Thanks to Shrub and Pawlenty, I might be out of work come June. Knowing how shitty the job market is and the fact if I got a job, my income would be considerably less than what I make plus the added expense of insurance so I can pay for the drugs I need to even survive... Pawlenty has cited the rising costs of medical care as an excuse for some of his actions (why not try to properly reform the system as well as making necessary cuts, huh?) Hell, suicide seems preferable at times... And that ensures the US doesn't get a penny more of tax money from me. The way this country is(n't) being run, it doesn't deserve a penny.

I'd rather have no salary increase than no salary at all.

Where's Shrub to help out the states? He'd rather have his vengeance and anger bestowed onto Iraq, fucking veterans out of just benefits, and so on - I'm preaching to the choir here.