Walmart rolls back........... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Local2ED · #1 10-22-2011, 11:24 AM

Healthcare coverages;Wal-Mart trims health care coverage for some - Yahoo! News

elchivito · #2 10-22-2011, 11:31 AM

Nobody likes to see this, but unless I'm missing something, and their coverage details aren't given, those rates, even the new ones, look REALLY cheap. 80 bucks a month for SMOKERS?? Shoot, at that price they can afford to smoke name brand cigs.

SwampYankee · #3 10-22-2011, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elchivito

Nobody likes to see this, but unless I'm missing something, and their coverage details aren't given, those rates, even the new ones, look REALLY cheap. 80 bucks a month for SMOKERS?? Shoot, at that price they can afford to smoke name brand cigs.

They do look really cheap. I wonder how much of the premium is picked up by Walmart? I'm guessing a pretty sizable amount.

Our company's rates are going up 15% this year (after 17% increase last year) since we decided to stick with the same plan. We are going to shift 2.5% more of the weekly contribution to the employees (we currently pay 75% to their 25% so we'll then split it to 72.5% to 27.5%) and reduce our profit sharing contribution by 2.5%. Even after increasing their share, that's still a roughly 10% hit to our bottom line before the year even starts.

ramonajim · #4 10-22-2011, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elchivito

Nobody likes to see this, but unless I'm missing something, and their coverage details aren't given, those rates, even the new ones, look REALLY cheap. 80 bucks a month for SMOKERS?? Shoot, at that price they can afford to smoke name brand cigs.

Only an anecdotal data point (heard during an interview of a Walmart employee on NPR yesterday) - but how much coverage they're getting will swing that premium dramatically; gal quoted (a supervisor) said her premium as a non-smoker was going up from $10 to $18 every two weeks. Bigger deal: deductible was going from $1,000 to $5,000.

elchivito · #5 10-22-2011, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ramonajim

Only an anecdotal data point (heard during an interview of a Walmart employee on NPR yesterday) - but how much coverage they're getting will swing that premium dramatically; gal quoted (a supervisor) said her premium as a non-smoker was going up from $10 to $18 every two weeks. Bigger deal: deductible was going from $1,000 to $5,000.

kind of a big catch

spdrun · #6 10-22-2011, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elchivito

Nobody likes to see this, but unless I'm missing something, and their coverage details aren't given, those rates, even the new ones, look REALLY cheap. 80 bucks a month for SMOKERS?? Shoot, at that price they can afford to smoke name brand cigs.

Health-care costs for smokers aren't materially higher, as they tend to die earlier. Despite what the puritanical liberals tell you.

engatwork · #7 10-22-2011, 12:59 PM

The wife (lifetime nurse) tells me that the smokers always recover/get out of the hospital the fastest because they can't wait to get out there to have a smoke

.

jplinville · #8 10-22-2011, 01:08 PM

All in all, it's still better coverage than what is offered at other retailers.

I'm in manufacturing, and pay $80 per month for family coverage, with $2500 deductible. I load my HSA to match the deductible, so it really isn't that bad.

I foresee other companies following suit...it's been happening in manufacturing for years.

It's not really newsworthy anymore...

chilcutt · #9 10-22-2011, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Local2ED

Healthcare coverages;Wal-Mart trims health care coverage for some - Yahoo! News

And ?

The Clk Man · #10 10-22-2011, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by engatwork

The wife (lifetime nurse) tells me that the smokers always recover/get out of the hospital the fastest because they can't wait to get out there to have a smoke

.

Dude, gota extra smoke on ya?

elchivito · #11 10-22-2011, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spdrun

Health-care costs for smokers aren't materially higher, as they tend to die earlier. Despite what the puritanical liberals tell you.

If only it were that simple. I'm no puritanical liberal. I smoked for 30 years and still chew.

MMS: Error

Botnst · #12 10-22-2011, 04:09 PM

Why do companies subsidize health insurance? It's stupid system because it has no feedback loop. This encourages increased costs. Like education. Any transaction that doesn't have a feedback will accelerate.

SwampYankee · #13 10-22-2011, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jplinville

All in all, it's still better coverage than what is offered at other retailers.

I'm in manufacturing, and pay $80 per month for family coverage, with $2500 deductible. I load my HSA to match the deductible, so it really isn't that bad.

I foresee other companies following suit...it's been happening in manufacturing for years.

It's not really newsworthy anymore...

That's pretty damn good, JP! At 41 with a family, I'm paying $242/mo and the company kicks in $741/mo. with a $3000 deductible (the company pays the first $2500). One of my sales reps. is turning 60 this period and his family rate is going to be $1690/mo. (he'll be responsible for $464.75)!