That's the estimated health care cost for Delaware's state employees by 2020. (Remember when 2020 was just a tv show? I'm definitely feeling my age.)
Our Gov. wants to balance his budget on the backs of state employees. And he's got it wrong. At least that's the opinion of the working poor, the non-unionized and unionized alike.
Yes, not all state employees belong to a union. And some are paid just dreadful wages. Single parent supports a family of four on $20,000? Who does that these days? Imagine all the two earners families who don't ever see the light of day over $45,000? And Delaware has a ton of them, under-employed earners who have yet to make a post-recession comeback!
If you are non-union, why even work for the State? For the health insurance. I am a SME - Subject Matter Expert. I have a special set of skills and knowledge that the state needs to fulfill its commitment to our jointly chosen field.
When I was stay-at-home wife and mother, my husband carried our health insurance at the cost of $12,000/year. Twelve grand was our share, plus co-pays and deductibles. Thank you, private sector. It broke us, b/c after paying the premium we couldn't afford to go to the doctors or medical aid units. While we tried to keep up with our children's healthcare needs, they went years without visiting a dentist or eye doctor. A two day stint in the hospital under my husband's insurance cost us more than $3,000.00.
My job was our savior. Although the pay is low, the affordable insurance means my children and I can see our doctors and specialists. My husband, however, is still capitated to his employer's plan.
I can't tell you how insulted I was to read Ann Visalli's comments in the News Journal this morning:
Ann Visalli, Markell’s budget director, who announced her resignation Friday to take a job with St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, said changes to the health care plan would ask employees “to be good consumers and have a stake in how their healthcare dollars are spent.” http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/health/2016/04/09/state-employee-health-care/82607460/Come on, Ann. You can't seriously think that state employees are abusing their healthcare benefits? That's what you are insinuating, whether you publicly admit it or not. Healthcare dollars are spent on HEALTHCARE! We, the employees of the State, don't set the co-pays and fees. YOU, the State do, when you negotiate with the INSURANCE PROVIDERS! Do YOUR job and negotiate for savings from THEM. Not US!
(the no-brainer part - Graduated premiums. Make the state's $100,000 + employees pay more for insurance.)
St. Andrew's can have you! Insult them for a while.
via GIPHY
1 comments:
We usually agree but on this we differ.... There is nothing wrong with asking public employees to pay close to what the private sector now pays...
If you first pay them enough... Assuming your cost of $12,000 a year, since medical costs and medical expenses should be around 18% of ones income (by someone's account) then they should pay you a subsidy that is 118% of what your premium is...
A raise of $14,160 is qualified for every state employee... Then, cut benefits to equal a wash.
Post a Comment
Word Verification May Be Case Sensitive