tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post2497063739823573819..comments2023-11-05T06:26:51.316-05:00Comments on Gannett Blog: Post-Obamacare, GCI's premiums top U.S. averagesJim Hopkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16712746705871119746noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-9141539094655461562013-10-03T23:32:41.148-04:002013-10-03T23:32:41.148-04:00It's amazing to see how dumb some of the recen...It's amazing to see how dumb some of the recent posts are. Things had improved for a while when Jim was at least trying to look at the health care issues.<br /><br />But now, things are back to normal. The people with no clue are rushing to outdo each other.<br /><br />As always, the ultimate blame goes to the guy running the show. Great job, as always, Jim.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-70553007759503207122013-10-03T23:30:54.370-04:002013-10-03T23:30:54.370-04:0012:16, why are you posting? You have no idea what ...12:16, why are you posting? You have no idea what you are talking about. Zero.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-47035821867594160612013-10-03T23:29:14.195-04:002013-10-03T23:29:14.195-04:00No reason, other than the paycheck, of course.
Yo...No reason, other than the paycheck, of course.<br /><br />You should try thinking before you type and post.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-68043859154251789002013-10-03T23:27:35.736-04:002013-10-03T23:27:35.736-04:00Let us know what facts you have to back up the cla...Let us know what facts you have to back up the claim that Jim's ramblings are more honest.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-65015224751557398452013-10-03T21:10:33.353-04:002013-10-03T21:10:33.353-04:00I think this should be the final blow for anyone ...I think this should be the final blow for anyone working for Gannett. I know most were staying just for the health benefits but now there really is no reason to stick around. Lousy health benefits, no raises, furloughs, layoffs — get the picture. Time to move on to greener pastures.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-55647113380126682562013-10-03T00:45:29.359-04:002013-10-03T00:45:29.359-04:00We're all in this together.We're all in this together.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-11137382983268711662013-10-03T00:16:11.659-04:002013-10-03T00:16:11.659-04:00Thank God SOMEBODY is trying to hold down health c...Thank God SOMEBODY is trying to hold down health care costs -- especially if I'm paying a bigger share!<br /><br />Fire that doctor. These days 99% of providers know the drill and will write the script correctly without being told. Should not be an issue.<br /><br />Finally, why would anyone in this day and age use the phone? (Four times?)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-10420200061324826742013-10-02T23:56:42.071-04:002013-10-02T23:56:42.071-04:00The new Gannett "choice" plan -- no choi...The new Gannett "choice" plan -- no choice, you take it or leave it -- appears to be in line with the lowest benefit offered as the "bronze" plan under ACA. But it may not even be that good.... nor as affordable.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-22351633006887817932013-10-02T23:54:36.527-04:002013-10-02T23:54:36.527-04:00Because Caremark is doing exactly what Gannett hir...Because Caremark is doing exactly what Gannett hired it to do -- deny as much benefit payout as possible.<br /><br />Your problem is about to get a whole lot worse, too, come Jan. 1. You'll be paying it all yourself then, at least until you've emptied your wallet.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-78443696557227449282013-10-02T21:40:56.112-04:002013-10-02T21:40:56.112-04:00You won't have to worry about that much longer...You won't have to worry about that much longer when you pay full price for your prescriptions Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-29227356857346665922013-10-02T21:38:30.384-04:002013-10-02T21:38:30.384-04:00It's definitely "Gannettcare" for su...It's definitely "Gannettcare" for sure. Obamacare was Gannett's scapegoat to cut benefits for its employees. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-69745646851168479752013-10-02T18:15:33.630-04:002013-10-02T18:15:33.630-04:00Has anyone else had trouble getting Caremark to fo...Has anyone else had trouble getting Caremark to focus more on patient care than on saving money for Gannett? Today, for the fourth time, all I got was a busy signal when I finally got transferred to a representative. Then, I finally got through and the person answering on the other end ran through a quick statement about all systems being down while they are updated and suggesting that I call Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-75780065619426771622013-10-01T18:31:19.552-04:002013-10-01T18:31:19.552-04:00I left the Gannett family last year for another la...I left the Gannett family last year for another large media company. My healthcare costs dropped by 50%, but we had the deductible and 80/20 split too. For 2014 I will still pay 50% less than the new Gannett plans, and my deductible and max OOP are about 40% of what Gannett plans.<br /><br />Hate to say it, but Gannett cares nothing about its staff and using Obamacare as an excuse. In fact, in a Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-68789653549517163762013-10-01T18:22:41.407-04:002013-10-01T18:22:41.407-04:00Burlington's a surprise.Burlington's a surprise. Jim Hopkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16712746705871119746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-29916203931370164502013-10-01T16:39:15.282-04:002013-10-01T16:39:15.282-04:00Kaiser has published a survey of 2014 monthly prem...Kaiser has published a survey of 2014 monthly premiums from the exchanges: <i>"For example, the lowest cost bronze plan for a 40-year-old ranges from $146 in Baltimore, Maryland and $155 in Albuquerque, New Mexico to $308 in New York, New York and $336 in Burlington, Vermont."</i>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-58780619243216028912013-10-01T11:45:48.104-04:002013-10-01T11:45:48.104-04:00I'll have to research that. For the most part,...I'll have to research that. For the most part, I think you can, but you won't qualify for the government subsidies that make the exchange plans really cheap. Jim Hopkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16712746705871119746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-68888085707156535932013-10-01T10:35:53.877-04:002013-10-01T10:35:53.877-04:00Can GCI employees drop their company coverage and ...Can GCI employees drop their company coverage and apply for Obamacare?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-19600516375287132762013-10-01T09:22:21.970-04:002013-10-01T09:22:21.970-04:00Jim,
Thanks for your work, caveats and all. It'...Jim,<br />Thanks for your work, caveats and all. It's about the best explanation of what's going on I've seen and certainly more honest than what Gannett will be telling its employees. Gannett has a history of exploiting bad situations to its economic advantage (its early adoption of pay cuts and mass layoffs during the onset of the 2009 recession). Here, it seems to be using Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-26160285989870169972013-10-01T09:08:17.050-04:002013-10-01T09:08:17.050-04:00Please re-read the first paragraph, which says (em...Please re-read the first paragraph, which says (emphasis added here):<br /><br />"Gannett's new health insurance premiums are sharply higher than average prices across the nation for similar plans this year, before the Obamcare reform law took effect, according to data in the authoritative Kaiser Family Foundation annual insurance survey."<br /><br />In the headline, too, I say: &Jim Hopkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16712746705871119746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-80395634834450134702013-10-01T08:39:25.267-04:002013-10-01T08:39:25.267-04:00Wow. I read the lede and was about to congratulate...Wow. I read the lede and was about to congratulate you for doing some great service journalism, and then I got to the fourth paragraph.<br /><br />"The company's figures are for the new high-deductible employee plan starting Jan. 1, while the Kaiser data are for 2013 high-deductible plans."<br /><br />You compared everyone else's PRE-OBAMACARE data to Gannett's Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com