Anonymous@12:36 a.m. writes:
Jim:
I'd love to see you create a separate thread on healthcare costs pre- and post-"Employee Choice" program. Notably, prescription drug care costs. They definitely went up quite noticeably.
Example from me: A medication that retails for just over $2,100 for a 30-day supply cost me $80 out of pocket from Caremark in 2013. In 2014, the same 30-day supply will cost me $1,622 in January (I'll just round it to my full $1,500 deductible since I'm single), then $422 per month out of pocket after the 80/20 coverage kicks in. So my cost for this drug for 2013 was $960 ($80 multiplied by 12) and for 2014 will be $6,142 ($422 multiplied by 11 plus $1,500).
Ergo, my $5,000 reduction in salary and benefits, just on this one medication, which my doctor tells me I cannot stop taking and for which there's not a generic. And yes, I got a second opinion!
I'd love to know what others' experiences are now that folks are starting to see the real prices for 2014 and do the math for themselves.
As always, other views are welcome. Please post your replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot.com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the green rail, upper right.
Jim:
I'd love to see you create a separate thread on healthcare costs pre- and post-"Employee Choice" program. Notably, prescription drug care costs. They definitely went up quite noticeably.
Ergo, my $5,000 reduction in salary and benefits, just on this one medication, which my doctor tells me I cannot stop taking and for which there's not a generic. And yes, I got a second opinion!
I'd love to know what others' experiences are now that folks are starting to see the real prices for 2014 and do the math for themselves.
As always, other views are welcome. Please post your replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot.com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the green rail, upper right.
Gosh ... I'm shocked, SHOCKED that Mother Gannett would treat its employees/retirees this way!
ReplyDeletethat would be enough to cause me to look for another job with better coverage
ReplyDeleteSounds wise.
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ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the new responsibilities.
ReplyDeleteJim,
ReplyDeleteYou may want to try ordering from a verified online pharmacy based outside the U.S. It's not uncommon to find savings in the 70-90% range.
PharmacyChecker.com compares drug prices and verifies pharmacies, you may want to check it out.
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DeleteOne thing I'm beginning to look into is the co-pay assistance programs offered by some of the large drug companies. They may help offset some of the out of pocket price difference.
ReplyDeleteOh. My. God.
ReplyDeleteThe reason not many people have commented on this thread is that they simply haven't tried to use their new insurance. They're scared as heck about it. Like me, they probably got an extra months' supply on their old plan. But when those supplies run out, they'll be in for a rude awakening about what Gannett has done here. The only choice these consumers have is to avoid going to the doctor.
ReplyDeleteOr they're dumb. We already know that most people here don't understand how benefits work.
DeleteGannett and the word benefit shouldn't be used in the same sentence. This just proves that there is no benefit working for Gannett.
DeleteMany workers are shocked that they are paying so much more out of pocket than they did last year. Should the company have given a better heads up?
DeleteDon't smoke, eat real food and stay as healthy as you can. I would rather invest in quality food than crappy health care.
ReplyDeleteGood advice. However, life happens and people get sick or injured even when they take care good care of themselves. It still helps to have good health insurance. The health insurance costs for average Gannett workers is getting worse each year.
DeleteThe next time politicians tell you they're going to make something more "affordable," bar the door and hold on to your wallet.
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DeleteI think the out of pocket max for a single employee is $5000, so you shouldn't have to pay more than that. It still hurts I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteHere's an idea. Instead of whining on a blog, GO WORK SOMEWHERE ELSE. If you hate it so much.. GO WORK SOMEWHERE ELSE.
ReplyDeleteThis blog is a waste of ones and zeros.
Stop making sense.
DeleteYet you keep coming back to read this "blog" - Sounds like the target audience is being reached....
DeleteWrong, 10:52. This has been asked here before -- just what is the goal? Usually the answers are a useless mix of venting and "showing what Gannett is about." I am not sure what the long-range benefits are for either of those goals.
DeleteI am sure that the last few years of posts here have had almost no effect on the company. Jim was able to ambush Dubow back in 2009, but that was a small, short-lived victory.
No doubt 9:38 is a management superstar. ALWAYS GIVING ORDERS. LOL!
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DeleteThere was once a comic strip called Dondi. The main character looked much like the unprofessional, immature photo that Jim keeps in his ID here.
DeleteMental health coverage no doubt will prove inadequate.
ReplyDeleteEspecially for the people who post here. I worry deeply about the segments of society that some of these people inhabit.
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ReplyDelete