tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post5337123163514954066..comments2023-11-05T06:26:51.316-05:00Comments on Gannett Blog: Mail | New med plan is 'a pay cut, plain and simple'Jim Hopkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16712746705871119746noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-90121414973168933942013-09-28T08:50:31.365-04:002013-09-28T08:50:31.365-04:00"But, where are you going to go when an indus...<i>"But, where are you going to go when an industry is shrinking?"</i><br /><br />Uh, gee, dunno.... maybe an industry that is growing? Could that be it? After all, you're talking about "smart" employees, right?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-60091034139129645132013-09-28T06:17:26.851-04:002013-09-28T06:17:26.851-04:00Someone is playing corporate damage control. Jim&#...Someone is playing corporate damage control. Jim's argument is relevant. This step with Obamacare is one step closer where we all want to see things - universal health coverage where employers are removed from providing health care coverage for employees. As Jim and others and finding out are corporations use to factor in wages and benefits when they presented an offer to an employee. They Todd Smekenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10604458110942435548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-51551263174159970952013-09-27T14:43:09.063-04:002013-09-27T14:43:09.063-04:00Because the "affordability" of coverage ...Because the "affordability" of coverage is based on just the employee's single premium, ( it's considered affordable if it doesn't exceed 9.5% of the employee's wages) it appears that many families will not be able to take advantage of the exchanges and the tax break on premiums they provide...It's being called the "family glitch"<br /><br />But there'sAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-40905337885081528842013-09-27T14:33:16.807-04:002013-09-27T14:33:16.807-04:00Because the "affordability" of coverage ...Because the "affordability" of coverage is based on just the employee's single premium, ( it's considered affordable if it doesn't exceed 9.5% of the employee's wages) it appears that many families will not be able to take advantage of the exchanges and the tax break on premiums they provide...It's being called the "family glitch"<br /><br />But there'sAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-57575988315864900692013-09-27T13:10:55.713-04:002013-09-27T13:10:55.713-04:0012:54: Re: trolling - Ya think? Some comments on t...12:54: Re: trolling - Ya think? Some comments on this thread must be copy-pasted from the HR FAQs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-77049160780953483262013-09-27T12:54:17.064-04:002013-09-27T12:54:17.064-04:00There has always been a deductible -- what's n...There has always been a deductible -- what's new (and is explained above) is that the co-pays, which brought down costs of doc visits and prescriptions, are gone. That will make a considerable difference financially to many people next year. (The site is thick with trolling this week -- wonder why?)<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-52357442535117021172013-09-27T12:29:21.232-04:002013-09-27T12:29:21.232-04:00@11:50
It's the contention that increased bene...@11:50<br />It's the contention that increased benefit costs resulting in less disposable income is anything but a pay cut that's incomprehensible here. It's an argument worthy of Baghdad Bob. Nice outfit, emperor.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-34079577827671075492013-09-27T12:26:28.620-04:002013-09-27T12:26:28.620-04:00For 2014, Gannett is reducing the amount of overal...For 2014, Gannett is reducing the amount of overall employee medical it will pay <a href="http://gannettblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/you-may-pay-more-of-your-real-med-costs.html?m=1" rel="nofollow">to 50% from 60% this year.</a> <br /><br />That may not yield a net savings over 2013 spending -- but it will reduce what it would have spent otherwise next year if the formula had stayed 60%-40%. <br /><Jim Hopkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16712746705871119746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-20489243367383669192013-09-27T12:23:01.683-04:002013-09-27T12:23:01.683-04:00A pay raise would mean more money that's not a...A pay raise would mean more money that's not already spoken for when it's earned. That's not what's happening here. <br /><br />I think most people "get" that you can't call it a raise if you end up with less. But keep up the sniping if you must, since your position is not supported by the evidence. Less money is less money.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-27177643483409220492013-09-27T11:55:57.147-04:002013-09-27T11:55:57.147-04:00Looks like I'll be shelling out $3,000 more, s...Looks like I'll be shelling out $3,000 more, straight out of my paycheck. Even if coverage was staying the same (and it's not), that's a net loss, since it's not like my salary is going up $3,000 to make up for it. <br /><br />We're paying more, getting less, and have no hope for raises -- hell, we were told at my site to be damned thankful we still have a job, and if in 6 Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-32201138286584587122013-09-27T11:54:44.283-04:002013-09-27T11:54:44.283-04:00Yeah, that's called a deductible. Good to see ...Yeah, that's called a deductible. Good to see you know what it means.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-71116663159251127552013-09-27T11:53:42.265-04:002013-09-27T11:53:42.265-04:00First, this wasn't even Jim's "analys...First, this wasn't even Jim's "analysis." It's just some random poster who doesn't get it, but Jim thinks he does.<br /><br />Next, where do you get that Gannett is saving money? Show me some proof.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-25223106165298843392013-09-27T11:51:14.701-04:002013-09-27T11:51:14.701-04:00Nobody's "saving" money. The employe...Nobody's "saving" money. The employer still pays most of the freight and absorbs most of the year-on-year increase. The reality is you DO get a pay raise.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-63065366134688654092013-09-27T11:50:45.352-04:002013-09-27T11:50:45.352-04:00Or when the person says: "You know, let's...Or when the person says: "You know, let's ignore the main, overriding concept that drives the whole thing."<br /><br />It's no surprise that Jim chooses to highlight this post. He operates at the same shallow level of comprehension.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-51561222420075397592013-09-27T11:20:02.847-04:002013-09-27T11:20:02.847-04:00Let's see: My premium is going up over 10 perc...Let's see: My premium is going up over 10 percent with less benefit -- no co-pays for visits or prescriptions, etc. -- I'll now have to pay the full cost of the service or product (the one break we catch here is that the rates have supposedly been negotiated with the insurance co.'s, so we'll pay that instead of the full price uninsured people pay). And I can spend $3K out of Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-48230503997377503802013-09-27T11:06:03.421-04:002013-09-27T11:06:03.421-04:00Your analysis is right on target, Jim. This change...Your analysis is right on target, Jim. This change will push more of the costs onto employees and save money for Gannett. And you can bet that Gannett isn't going to put that money into pay raises to offset the higher costs for employees. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-11959319406471987952013-09-27T10:03:54.042-04:002013-09-27T10:03:54.042-04:00@953 - how do the health plan changes affect the e...@953 - how do the health plan changes affect the economic value of Gannett employees' disposable income after covering health care costs under the plan? I dare say for most of us, the economic value of our net compensation will be lower. Call it whatever you want, but it's surely going to feel like a pay cut.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-33731366360486778282013-09-27T09:53:00.361-04:002013-09-27T09:53:00.361-04:00We're discussing economics, so I mean economic...We're discussing economics, so I mean economic value.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-49271725286007191132013-09-27T09:51:47.576-04:002013-09-27T09:51:47.576-04:00These changes mean that after covering my family&#...These changes mean that after covering my family's medical needs, I'll have less money available to pay for the other things we require, like food, shelter, clothing and transportation. That's not muddling an issue - it's placing a value on what's in my pocket. And that's going down.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-58699149508553268072013-09-27T09:40:13.468-04:002013-09-27T09:40:13.468-04:00Nobody should be happy about the cost of medical c...Nobody should be happy about the cost of medical care, much less its inflation rate. For many it is a real hardship. But it doesn't accomplish anything to muddle the issues, and not recognize the true value of the benefit where it is still offered.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-48124129614227288812013-09-27T09:39:48.486-04:002013-09-27T09:39:48.486-04:00Paying a higher price for an inferior product less...Paying a higher price for an inferior product lessens value, doesn't it? The "total compensation" argument only takes unweighted dollars into account. It might be valid if I could still go out and buy a Chevy pickup for $5,000 and gas it up for 75 cents a gallon.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-79759839965130867282013-09-27T09:39:27.642-04:002013-09-27T09:39:27.642-04:009:29 Please explain why this is true: "In the...9:29 Please explain why this is true: "In the case of health coverage, the value of the benefit increases substantially every year." <br /><br />Are you talking about its paper value?Jim Hopkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16712746705871119746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-82461613134928176212013-09-27T09:29:11.625-04:002013-09-27T09:29:11.625-04:00No, it is not a pay cut. Your total compensation i...No, it is not a pay cut. Your total compensation increases when the value of a benefit increases. In the case of health coverage, the value of the benefit increases substantially every year (and by more than your costs, so it's not even a "net" pay cut). Like it or not, it's just math.<br /><br />As for the incentive of managing your own costs, the idea is that you are perfectlyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-71453372381125436982013-09-27T09:26:43.069-04:002013-09-27T09:26:43.069-04:00Due to the medical conditions of two of my childre...Due to the medical conditions of two of my children, the changes will result in significantly more out-of-pocket expense for prescriptions and doctor visits, before getting to the higher deductible.<br /><br />That's both plain and simple. "Simple," as in calling "BS" rather than presenting any rational rebuttal. And "plain" old lazy, as in disparaging a writer&#Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-85456216459692523782013-09-27T09:02:39.850-04:002013-09-27T09:02:39.850-04:00The new health plan is a paycut for me. I figure I...The new health plan is a paycut for me. I figure I am down $2K if nobody gets sick or needs the health insurance. The thing I don't understand (and I mean this, I don't understand, someone please explain) is the logic of this healthcare plan. Even if preventative health visits are covered (are they?) this will keep people from visiting the doctor at the onset of health problems - Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com