employee based health insurance

Melzombie
Melzombie Charleston, SC Posts: 200
in All Encompassing Trip
this is obviously for those residing in the U.S.
I just started a new job a couple of months ago and just signed up for the health insurance plan.
Shit is expensive. I'm single, early 30's, healthy, non-smoker and was quoted $383 a month just for me and for medical insurance only (no dental or vision) 
My employer pays 50%. This means $191.50 comes out of my paycheck per month.
My deductible is $3,500 and I have to pay a doctors office copay of $40
This seems super high to me. I use to work for a larger corporate company and the insurance was better and less money. I got all three vision, dental, and medical for less than what I'm paying now for just medical. 
Is this a normal rate? How much do you pay? Anyone work in the health insurance field chime in? 
I think U.S. health insurance is all one big scam.
«1

Comments

  • hedonist
    hedonist Posts: 24,524
    I was paying over $800/month (COBRA) via my prior employer.  OUCH.

    Now I'm on my husband's through his work...an increase in his premiums but worth it (and financially more beneficial).  I think the total for the two of us is roughly $400/month for medical and dental.

    As with matching IRA contributions, different organizations will pick up the bulk more or less than others.

    It is indeed frustrating, and I wish I could offer more - but congratulations on the new job!
  • OffSheGoes35
    OffSheGoes35 Posts: 3,517
    Malroth sent you positive vibes in the message in a bottle thread, he doesn't do that for just anybody. There is definitely sunshine headed your way. Lucky!
  • Melzombie
    Melzombie Charleston, SC Posts: 200
    OffSheGoes35 said:
    Malroth sent you positive vibes in the message in a bottle thread, he doesn't do that for just anybody. There is definitely sunshine headed your way. Lucky!
    huh?
  • RunIntoTheRain
    RunIntoTheRain Texas Posts: 1,032
    @Melzombie that sounds like a lot though I've heard of worse.
    I work for Costco and am extremely fortunate to have excellent benefits. $48 a month for medical, dental and vision. $250 deductible, $15 copay, I pay 10% after deductible. I realize just how lucky I am.

  • Melzombie
    Melzombie Charleston, SC Posts: 200
    RunIntoTheRain said:
    @Melzombie that sounds like a lot though I've heard of worse.
    I work for Costco and am extremely fortunate to have excellent benefits. $48 a month for medical, dental and vision. $250 deductible, $15 copay, I pay 10% after deductible. I realize just how lucky I am.

    Shit that is cheap! Costco is a major company with a ton of people. That may have something to do with it???
    The company I work for only has around 50 full time employees and not all of them use the insurance (they have their spouses insurance) 
  • RunIntoTheRain
    RunIntoTheRain Texas Posts: 1,032
    Melzombie said:
    RunIntoTheRain said:
    @Melzombie that sounds like a lot though I've heard of worse.
    I work for Costco and am extremely fortunate to have excellent benefits. $48 a month for medical, dental and vision. $250 deductible, $15 copay, I pay 10% after deductible. I realize just how lucky I am.

    Shit that is cheap! Costco is a major company with a ton of people. That may have something to do with it???
    The company I work for only has around 50 full time employees and not all of them use the insurance (they have their spouses insurance) 

    The size of the company is a huge part of it. Plus they have always made taking care of their employees a priority. Benefits and pay as well.
    I do agree that US health insurance is very messed up.
  • F Me In The Brain
    F Me In The Brain this knows everybody from other commets Posts: 31,814
    edited December 2019
    How many people in your company? (Edit, I see you said 50 - this is the reason it is high.  Blame the govt not your employer)

    Insurance is a huge cost for employers and for small business owners there is not much of a way to defray this cost other than sharing with employees or paying a staggering amount themselves.
    (This is why so many SB owners freaked when the rules changed last administration)

    An employer paying 50% if a small company is really quite good.

    What I pay per month for my family (no dental/vision, those are out of pocket) would stagger you.  

    I'm sorry that you have a situation you do not like.

    Post edited by F Me In The Brain on
    The love he receives is the love that is saved
  • Indifference71
    Indifference71 Chicago Posts: 14,911
    Melzombie said:
    RunIntoTheRain said:
    @Melzombie that sounds like a lot though I've heard of worse.
    I work for Costco and am extremely fortunate to have excellent benefits. $48 a month for medical, dental and vision. $250 deductible, $15 copay, I pay 10% after deductible. I realize just how lucky I am.

    Shit that is cheap! Costco is a major company with a ton of people. That may have something to do with it???
    The company I work for only has around 50 full time employees and not all of them use the insurance (they have their spouses insurance) 
    Yeah it all depends on how much your employer is willing to pay.  And a lot of times with smaller companies, they can't afford to pay as much as larger corporations.  I work for a very large company and I think I pay around $150 per month with a $1,300 deductible and no copay.  

    But yeah, the whole system is all over the place.  I'm on a separate plan from my wife and kids since both of our employers would charge us a penalty on top of the increased monthly premium if we were to go on each other's plan since we can each get insurance from our own company.  That's pretty shitty that they are able to do that.  Would be much better if we were all on the same plan.
  • deadendp
    deadendp Northeast Ohio Posts: 10,434
    My husband works for a county park district, and health insurance benefits are under the umbrella of the county as a whole. 

    Because he participates in a healthy living program, we do not pay for our health insurance.

    We are partial pay for dental and life.

    We pay out of pocket for eye.

    We pay maybe $142/month for our family of three. Family deductible is $1000/year. $25 general doctor copays. $35 specialist. Discounted prescriptions. Flu shots through Walgreens and measles booster through CVS to avoid office visit copay. 

    Since our daughter was a county adoption and because of her drug positive birth status, she has Medicaid secondary through 18. It was incredibly helpful when she was in therapy for a few years. Psych copay is 50%. She also had a very suppressed immune system for the first 11 years. So glad we had it for all of those doctor visits we made. 
    2014: Cincinnati
    2016: Lexington and Wrigley 1
  • vogonpoetbythelake
    vogonpoetbythelake Posts: 2,146
    Wow!!! That seems so unaffordable!!! So the deductible comes off of what? Do you still have to pay up front to have a doctor's visit and only after  1000 and your monthly premium it is then free?
  • mace1229
    mace1229 Posts: 9,831
    That actually is on the cheaper side. Remember, Obamacare works by overcharging the young and healthy so it can cover the old and sick. So a healthy 20 or 30 something just starting a new job overpays.
  • Poncier
    Poncier Posts: 17,893
    I'd love to pay $191.50 a month for health insurance. I pay twice that a week. So 8x that monthly (it is a family plan, not single, but still its a massive deduction)
    Ever since Obamacare (actually Romneycare was the beginning of it all here in MA) was implemented, the premiums have about tripled in that time. And the benefits have been reduced, never had a deductible till past few years, now every plan has them. So on top of paying about 20K for the plan I have to pay the first $2,000.00 out of pocket for any expenses.
    Worst government plan ever. Force everyone to have to carry insurance and allow for profit companies to control the cost with no oversight. 
    This weekend we rock Portland
  • vogonpoetbythelake
    vogonpoetbythelake Posts: 2,146
    That is unconscionable! Geeze! did not know it was that crazy! Is there a sliding scale based on income or something? What of minimum wage earners?
  • MayDay10
    MayDay10 Posts: 11,855
    Its a racket.

    Im paying over $100 a week AND we have like a $10K/year deductable.  We can even take a kid to the doctor without thinking over financial ramifications.

    FREE MARKET

    Its a god damn racket and we are all the suckers.  People should be marching in the street over this
  • mace1229
    mace1229 Posts: 9,831
    vogonpoetbythelake said:
    That is unconscionable! Geeze! did not know it was that crazy! Is there a sliding scale based on income or something? What of minimum wage earners?
    I don't think a sliding scale. But you can get subsidized insurance under a certain income. I don't know the details other than I know some single healthy young people who do not make a lot of money and struggle financially (especially in big cities like LA) and chose to not have insurance because paying the tax penalty is cheaper than paying for the insurance that they can't afford.
  • Melzombie
    Melzombie Charleston, SC Posts: 200
    F Me In The Brain said:
    How many people in your company? (Edit, I see you said 50 - this is the reason it is high.  Blame the govt not your employer)

    Insurance is a huge cost for employers and for small business owners there is not much of a way to defray this cost other than sharing with employees or paying a staggering amount themselves.
    (This is why so many SB owners freaked when the rules changed last administration)

    An employer paying 50% if a small company is really quite good.

    What I pay per month for my family (no dental/vision, those are out of pocket) would stagger you.  

    I'm sorry that you have a situation you do not like.

    yikes! Do you work for a smaller company or are you self employed? 
  • F Me In The Brain
    F Me In The Brain this knows everybody from other commets Posts: 31,814

    Melzombie said:
    F Me In The Brain said:
    How many people in your company? (Edit, I see you said 50 - this is the reason it is high.  Blame the govt not your employer)

    Insurance is a huge cost for employers and for small business owners there is not much of a way to defray this cost other than sharing with employees or paying a staggering amount themselves.
    (This is why so many SB owners freaked when the rules changed last administration)

    An employer paying 50% if a small company is really quite good.

    What I pay per month for my family (no dental/vision, those are out of pocket) would stagger you.  

    I'm sorry that you have a situation you do not like.

    yikes! Do you work for a smaller company or are you self employed? 

    We have an indirect model -- thousands of people work for the company but only about 20 direct employees...so, yes, that is the issue.  The system pounds every business -- but the small business owners are left to look like bad guys in the scenario when the real bad guys are the fuckholes who charge $100 for an aspirin and all the associated garbage/payola/gouging/insuring.  

    Our employer cannot pay 50%, would amount to paying people less in the end if he did. 

    Put this together with my wife's health issues (and her treatment efforts mostly not covered by insurance) and this amounts to paying about the same in health care as the average American makes in 2019.

    System is fucked, only feel lucky enough that we can afford to continue to be aggressive in her pursuit of wellness.
    Most cannot.
    The love he receives is the love that is saved
  • Melzombie
    Melzombie Charleston, SC Posts: 200
    F Me In The Brain said:

    Melzombie said:
    F Me In The Brain said:
    How many people in your company? (Edit, I see you said 50 - this is the reason it is high.  Blame the govt not your employer)

    Insurance is a huge cost for employers and for small business owners there is not much of a way to defray this cost other than sharing with employees or paying a staggering amount themselves.
    (This is why so many SB owners freaked when the rules changed last administration)

    An employer paying 50% if a small company is really quite good.

    What I pay per month for my family (no dental/vision, those are out of pocket) would stagger you.  

    I'm sorry that you have a situation you do not like.

    yikes! Do you work for a smaller company or are you self employed? 

    We have an indirect model -- thousands of people work for the company but only about 20 direct employees...so, yes, that is the issue.  The system pounds every business -- but the small business owners are left to look like bad guys in the scenario when the real bad guys are the fuckholes who charge $100 for an aspirin and all the associated garbage/payola/gouging/insuring.  

    Our employer cannot pay 50%, would amount to paying people less in the end if he did. 

    Put this together with my wife's health issues (and her treatment efforts mostly not covered by insurance) and this amounts to paying about the same in health care as the average American makes in 2019.

    System is fucked, only feel lucky enough that we can afford to continue to be aggressive in her pursuit of wellness.
    Most cannot.
    yikes. that sounds awful. One thing that I am thankful for is that I'm pretty healthy. ::knock on wood:: 
    I have friends that are in medical debt (even with insurance!) because they are always sickly. 
  • F Me In The Brain
    F Me In The Brain this knows everybody from other commets Posts: 31,814
    Yeah -- and she lives with what she has, and many people cannot if they don't spend outside of the system.

    Glad you are at least limited to what they are pulling from your checks and the occasional visit even a healthy person should conduct.  (Guessing they give you a free annual checkup?)
    The love he receives is the love that is saved
  • darwinstheory
    darwinstheory LaPorte, IN Posts: 7,364
    I don't pay for insurance - includes dental and vision
    $1000 out of pocket max
    $50 ER visit (waived if admited)
    $25 office visit co-pay 

    That, is why we are willing to come out in droves to rally, or even strike to maintain what we already have. Very fortunate to have that. 

    Curious how fortunate some other unions are with their insurance. 
    "A smart monkey doesn't monkey around with another monkey's monkey" - Darwin's Theory

Categories