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The Good Old Health Insurance Merry-Go-Round 2008

The Good Old Health Insurance Merry-Go-Round 2008

Old Sep 11th 2008, 4:21 pm
  #1  
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Default The Good Old Health Insurance Merry-Go-Round 2008

Just got our new plans announced for this year through work, joy of joys we're changing providers again!

The monthly premiums add up to over $9k before either me or mrs Titchski set foot in a doctors office , followed by a $2500 deductible, then everything is covered - as long as we're in network of course. So before our insurance kicks in, we'll be almost 12 thousand dollars out of pocket...

That's not including dental, short term or long term disability any life premiums or vision. Not a happy camper at the moment!
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Old Sep 11th 2008, 4:24 pm
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Default Re: The Good Old Health Insurance Merry-Go-Round 2008

Ah, but think of the tax writeoff you have!
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Old Sep 11th 2008, 4:25 pm
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Default Re: The Good Old Health Insurance Merry-Go-Round 2008

Wow that sucks. My daughter pays less in premiums but with the same deductible for their family's healthcare insurance.
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Old Sep 11th 2008, 4:27 pm
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Default Re: The Good Old Health Insurance Merry-Go-Round 2008

Originally Posted by Duncan Roberts
Ah, but think of the tax writeoff you have!

That's only if he doesn't have a flex spending plan. If he doesn't than he can deduct anything over 7% of his salary in healthcare expenditures. If he does, he can only claim what was not reimbursed under the flex plan.
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Old Sep 11th 2008, 4:30 pm
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Default Re: The Good Old Health Insurance Merry-Go-Round 2008

Originally Posted by Rete
That's only if he doesn't have a flex spending plan. If he doesn't than he can deduct anything over 7% of his salary in healthcare expenditures. If he does, he can only claim what was not reimbursed under the flex plan.
The 9 grand in premiums is tax exempt. That's a pretty big writeoff in my book.
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Old Sep 11th 2008, 4:33 pm
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Default Re: The Good Old Health Insurance Merry-Go-Round 2008

You should also look at the deductible. We have a $2000 one but last year I only paid $200 towards that, this year nothing towards it and all the meds, doctors appointments and hospital visits for my me and my wife have been covered.
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Old Sep 11th 2008, 5:35 pm
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Default Re: The Good Old Health Insurance Merry-Go-Round 2008

Originally Posted by Titchski
The monthly premiums add up to over $9k before either me or mrs Titchski set foot in a doctors office , followed by a $2500 deductible, then everything is covered - as long as we're in network of course. So before our insurance kicks in, we'll be almost 12 thousand dollars out of pocket...
Those premiums seem ridiculously high!

Does your employer actualy contribute anything to the cost of your health insurance? Sounds like you are paying close to the full cost yourself.

Admittedly I am luck enough to have a very good health plan at work, but the total cost for that including vision and dental coverage and prescription drugs only comes to about $650 per person per year ...

Since the full cost of coverage for my domestic partner is counted as additional imputed income for tax purposes I know that the total amount is approximately $5,000 per person per year which is why I said that it sounds as if you are paying almost the entire cost yourself ...
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Old Sep 11th 2008, 5:39 pm
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Default Re: The Good Old Health Insurance Merry-Go-Round 2008

Originally Posted by Rete
That's only if he doesn't have a flex spending plan. If he doesn't than he can deduct anything over 7% of his salary in healthcare expenditures. If he does, he can only claim what was not reimbursed under the flex plan.
Yes, but since the flex spending plan is funded with pre-tax dollars you effectively get the tax benefit that way as well.
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Old Sep 11th 2008, 5:55 pm
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Default Re: The Good Old Health Insurance Merry-Go-Round 2008

Originally Posted by md95065
Yes, but since the flex spending plan is funded with pre-tax dollars you effectively get the tax benefit that way as well.

Of course, it is. However, not everyone might know that you can't use it as a tax deduction as well.
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Old Sep 11th 2008, 5:59 pm
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Default Re: The Good Old Health Insurance Merry-Go-Round 2008

Originally Posted by md95065
Those premiums seem ridiculously high!

Does your employer actualy contribute anything to the cost of your health insurance? Sounds like you are paying close to the full cost yourself.

Admittedly I am luck enough to have a very good health plan at work, but the total cost for that including vision and dental coverage and prescription drugs only comes to about $650 per person per year ...

Since the full cost of coverage for my domestic partner is counted as additional imputed income for tax purposes I know that the total amount is approximately $5,000 per person per year which is why I said that it sounds as if you are paying almost the entire cost yourself ...
If it was just for me.. then it'd be ok at $113.00 per month (my employer took the step last year to put some of the cost on to the employee). so I have around a $620.00(ish) premium for having Mrs Titchski on the policy. She's actively looking for some insurance of her own, as that seems a trifle expensive!

I understand the fact it's pretax money, but it certainly will put a big hole in my after tax wages!
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Old Sep 11th 2008, 6:25 pm
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Default Re: The Good Old Health Insurance Merry-Go-Round 2008

socialized medicine is the devil. initiated by satan himself.
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Old Sep 11th 2008, 9:59 pm
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Default Re: The Good Old Health Insurance Merry-Go-Round 2008

Originally Posted by Manc
socialized medicine is the devil. initiated by satan himself.
Don't mention the S word
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Old Sep 11th 2008, 11:18 pm
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Default Re: The Good Old Health Insurance Merry-Go-Round 2008

Originally Posted by Titchski
Just got our new plans announced for this year through work, joy of joys we're changing providers again!

The monthly premiums add up to over $9k before either me or mrs Titchski set foot in a doctors office , followed by a $2500 deductible, then everything is covered - as long as we're in network of course. So before our insurance kicks in, we'll be almost 12 thousand dollars out of pocket...

That's not including dental, short term or long term disability any life premiums or vision. Not a happy camper at the moment!
That sounds like the BC/BS plan the kids and I had for a few years. What a bloody rip. Poor Dh changed jobs and took a paycut just to get us all really decent insurance that includes dental and optical, plus he finally has retirement.
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Old Sep 12th 2008, 1:03 am
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Default Re: The Good Old Health Insurance Merry-Go-Round 2008

Originally Posted by Titchski
If it was just for me.. then it'd be ok at $113.00 per month (my employer took the step last year to put some of the cost on to the employee). so I have around a $620.00(ish) premium for having Mrs Titchski on the policy. She's actively looking for some insurance of her own, as that seems a trifle expensive!

I understand the fact it's pretax money, but it certainly will put a big hole in my after tax wages!
I assume women are so expensive to insure because they have a nasty habit of having babies.

I cost about $5500 a year to insure through a company policy (I don't work for them - DH does). Therefore I am looking for a job with health insurance, which will cut my bill hopefully by about $5000 a year. Which will cover about 1/4 of our childcare expenses

Our three children cost less in total to insure than I do

The annoying thing is that there is absolutely no way I'm having any more children. I wonder if they'd cut my premium if I'd agree to sterilisation...
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Old Sep 12th 2008, 1:06 am
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Default Re: The Good Old Health Insurance Merry-Go-Round 2008

My DH pays a contribution of $263 for the whole family medical, and another $59 a month for dental.
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