Employers Dropping Health Insurance At Alarming Rate

[lib2DaBone]

http://www.sunnewspapers.net/articles/pnnews.aspx?NewsID=451551&a=newsarchive2/012710/ch5.htm&pnpg=1


Charlotte commissioners unanimously approved a plan Tuesday that's expected to save the county more than $500,000.

Shifting the focus to part-timers allows Charlotte to staff up or down to meet demand, and avoid the costs of benefits. It also will mean about a dozen employees now will have to go look for a new full-time job.

"Part-time employees give us more flexibility," Commissioner Tricia Duffy said. "It works well in the private sector, and in this economy, I think it's the right thing to do."

Some commissioners expressed concerns surrounding the employee turnover such a move could create, along with the safety hazards associated with untrained workers.

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"Employee-at-will", "Leased Employee"... it's all the rage in business/corp world these days.

Health care reform is useless without a PO, because employers are no longer offering benefits.. period.

[wolfgangmo]

1. And it's going to get worse.

I own a small clinic (general and family practice) and I must tell you that we are seeing more folks without insurance these days. We are getting a LOT more calls about our cash costs (luckily we are less out of pocket than most clinics because we don't bill insurance thus freeing up a ton of overhead - we made this decision so that we could afford to serve those who had less)

It's going to get lots worse. It has been estimated that around 1/6th of the country has no insurance. That figure is likely low and of those with insurance it has been estimated that about 1/3 of the country has insurance that has either low limits on service or high upfront costs or both, thus making it unusable. That is 50% of the country.

And keep in mind that those stats were gathered before the current economic shitstorm. So the numbers are actually higher now and getting higher by the day.

Pray you don't get sick.

[Captain Hilts]

2. blue states are more likely to require insurance and will bear the brunt of the 'cadiallac tax'. nt

[SteveM]

5. Been going on for years in "blue" Travis County (Austin) TX....

These kinds of jobs have suffused the government bureaus for years and are increasing. We are in the land of PPT (part-time temp).

[atreides1]

3. Indentured Servants

The least they could do is be honest.

[Blue_Tires]

4. i sure am glad congress was held their ground on single payer

:sarcasm:

[KittyWampus]

6. my rate just went from $500 a month to $600. A MONTH. We are a tiny family business

how screwed up is that?

[hunter]

7. Oh no! The solution is to make everyone buy health insurance!

We can't let the health insurance industry down!!!

:sarcasm:

[uponit7771]

8. Our deductible DOUBLED to 5000$ this year under a new insurer

[PA Democrat]

9. Just wait until people see the price tag and then realize that

they are pretty much shit out of luck unless they have never sought treatment for anything more serious than a common cold. The list of preexisting conditions used by most companies is pretty extensive.

[L0oniX]

14. They accept your payments until you get sick. Then they drop you for pre-existing condition.

That's the big rip off game they play.

[raccoon]

10. In neighboring SC, it's as bad if not worse (Surprise, surprise).

I work at a state agency in SC, and 50% of the employees are part-time, no benefits. Some of whom have been working here for years.

Some people are under the mistaken impression that employers HAVE to offer insurance. Well, they sure as hell don't.

[lib2DaBone]

11. I bet ten dollars....in the above article... Commissioner Duffy..

..does not give up her solid-gold, full-boat ,red-carpet, taxpayer-funded health insurance!

[daa]

12. Boy will those commissioners be whining when

there is no one left to pay taxes.

[Omaha Steve]

13. Please cross post in the Labor Forum

K&R!