What percentage of people offered GOOD insurance through their work turn it down?

[Hello_Kitty]

Typically the employee has to pay part of the premium, though one time I was lucky and worked at a company where they picked up the whole tab. But most of the time the employee pays a portion and the company pays a bigger portion and the coverage is pretty good if they have a decent policy. I keep hearing that young healthy people will wait until they are sick or injured to get coverage unless we make them. That's funny because while I've seen plenty of those young invincible people opt out of 401k contributions I've yet to see one opt out of the health insurance, even though they could pocket an extra $60 or $100 a month to do so. Why do so many young healthy people with good coverage through their jobs opt into it, if we need mandates or else young people won't get insurance?

Seems to me this emphasis on the importance of making people buy something is an indication that the something they're being made to buy isn't all that good.

Edited to clarify that I'm talking about GOOD coverage, not those companies that offer crappy catastrophic policies.

[Cleobulus]

1. At my work, its 10% of my income(can't afford that), with a 1,000 dollar deduct...

and 20% copay for all expenses AFTER the 1,000 dollar deduct. And that's just for an individual, throw in family coverage and you are looking at almost 6 times that expense, for people who aren't getting paid 6 times more than me.

ON EDIT: Oh, and one other thing, they are increasing premiums again, though not coverage. And woe to those who have to go out of network to get treatment, double the deduct and the copay for that.

[Hello_Kitty]

7. Wow, that sucks.

And just think, you'll be forced to keep that coverage if this bill passes.

[Cleobulus]

12. I know, I went through my 90 days eval just a couple of weeks ago, I turned down the insurance...

I simply can't afford it, and I'm not the only one at my work who has done the same thing. If the Government will pay 100% of all expenses(premiums, deducts, copays) then I wouldn't mind a mandate, but if its anything other than that, I'm screwed.

[FSogol]

2. I did. My company offers pretty good insurance, but my wife's company

picks up more of the cost. So, I decline my insurance and the whole family is covered under hers.

[notadmblnd]

3. I see it as enabling employers to drop their contributions to health care all together

and making everyone purchase their own. Just think what it will save on their labor costs? Ever wonder why corporations are silent on the issue. You'd think that they would have their lobbyists down in the halls of congress pushing the public option, but no, hardly a peep out of them.

Has anyone ever calculated the difference between a payroll tax for health care and what employers currently contribute? which would cost less?

[Hello_Kitty]

9. That's what I think too.

They have to wait a few years to do it but the second they can drop coverage they will. And they won't be raising paychecks in conjunction with it.

[LeftyMom]

4. I've always taken it except when the coverage was worthless.

A few of the crappier jobs I've had (yay retail work!) have bragged about offering insurance to all employees, but offered utterly worthless insurance that cost too much and covered almost nothing. I was better off handling my routine care out of pocket, and the low annual cap meant their coverage would have left me in the lurch in a serious accident or medical emergency anyhow, so the only real risk in declining it for me was moderately expensive emergency room stuff like stitches and broken bones.

[yurbud]

5. you nailed it in the last line

[yurbud]

6. if a public option or medicare buy in were available, you wouldn't have to put a gun to

people's heads to get them to take it.

[lapfog_1]

8. my last contracting job.

The company offered nothing that was real insurance. What they offered was a "discount club". You pay into the an account and they get you a "discount" (about 15% off so they said) that they would use your dollars that you contributed to buy the discounted services and medicine. They matched the fund dollar for dollar.

So... if I worked there for 2 years, and contributed $500 a month, and never used the fund for medical care, I would have $24,000 in my account, which I could use to buy a 15 % discount from their in-network providers. Which means that I could use up to $24,000 if my medical bill was at least $360,000. The rest of it I would have to come up with on my own. Oh, one catch, if I leave the company, I lose the company contribution to the account and it's now taxed at income tax levels.

A kind of personal medical savings account coupled with a "discount" plan.

They expected you to go out and privately purchase your own medical insurance to cover the rest. On a salary of $66,000 a year.

The last quote for insurance I got was from BC of California... $1200 a month with a $10,000 deductible.

Given that I was taking home about $1800 every two weeks... 1/3 of my take home would go to buy insurance, another X amount contributed to my medical savings plan.

I said no.

The company has around 3000 or more employees (contractors).

[Hello_Kitty]

10. I should have made it more clear in my OP that I meant GOOD coverage.

[Cleobulus]

14. Who offers that anymore?

There is no guarantee you get coverage, even if it says you get it on paper.

[lapfog_1]

19. Bingo.

Pretty much every employer that isn't fortune 200 (and thus, mostly self insured, even if they use an organization like Blue Cross to run the plan) is offering crap insurance right now. And I mean crap.

They will do anything they can to get rid of you if you become sick.

The last time I had "decent" insurance was with John Alden, G.T. (a very small insurance company, relative to the big ones).

When I was diagnosed with WPW and had heart surgery, they dropped EVERYONE in my class in California. Just to get rid of me. Probably 200 others with the same plan I had. The letter dropping me was waiting for me when I got home from the hospital.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. Not all employers allow their employees to opt out

Some insurance companies won't guarantee rates at a particular level unless the employer requires 100% of their emoyees to participate.

[Hello_Kitty]

15. That was probably the place I worked where they covered the whole premium.

But every place I've worked where you could opt out I never saw any young people opting out of theirs. I'm not saying it never happens, but it's not widespread.

[RamboLiberal]

13. I don't know the percentage at my company

But I've heard through the grapevine that some of the warehouse and/or lower paid clerical with families declined cause they couldn't afford the payroll deduction their portion would be.

[Hello_Kitty]

16. That's sad.

And note that it's because they couldn't afford it and not because they simply didn't want it.

[tabbycat31]

17. my mom does

she's offered the top tier insurance through her job but she turns it down because she's offered identical coverage through my dad's job.

[Hello_Kitty]

18. But she's not opting out of coverage entirely to pocket a few bucks every month

That's what my point is.

[tabbycat31]

25. not at all

my dad does not pay a dime for his (or her) coverage (taxpayers do) so she's on his coverage.

[valerief]

20. No insurance is good insurance if claims can be denied. nt

[mdmc]

21. Those that are married to UNIONIZED employees wih better coverage

So maybe 5% :shrug:

[Hello_Kitty]

22. But they're not opting out of coverage entirely

They're opting out of their employer's coverage because there's a better choice available to them.

[mdmc]

23. agreed

I can't think of anyone that would give up coverage for no coverage..

[Hello_Kitty]

24. Neither can I. eom

[B Calm]

26. I hate the fact our health care is tied to our employer. It make us slaves!

[Tailormyst]

27. My kids have great insurance through the Teamsters

I have none for now.

[WeCanWorkItOut]

28. Actually I wish that more people had the option of catastrophic coverage

I suspect that for many young people even good coverage
is a hardship, if, for instance, they would rather
have the money to put into a car or a coat,
or other necessities.