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This BLOG is for LLNL present and past employees, friends of LLNL and anyone impacted by the privatization of the Lab to express their opinions and expose the waste, wrongdoing and any kind of injustice against employees and taxpayers by LLNS/DOE/NNSA. The opinions stated are personal opinions. Therefore, The BLOG author may or may not agree with them before making the decision to post them. Comments not conforming to BLOG rules are deleted. Blog author serves as a moderator. For new topics or suggestions, email jlscoob5@gmail.com

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Sunday, September 15, 2013

TO: LANL-ALL From/MS: Charles F. McMillan, A100 Phone/Fax: 7-5101/Fax 7-2997 Date: September 13, 2013 SUBJECT: IMPORTANT CHANGES TO HEALTH CARE PLANS Because of key changes to the Laboratory’s health benefits offerings that will affect all of us in the coming year, I’d like to invite you to attend an all-employee meeting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 17 in the NSSB Auditorium. We will explain the changes and the reasons for them, including our need to attract and retain highly skilled and productive employees while coping with the increasing healthcare costs nationally and in our own workforce. The changes will affect a number of areas including the types of plans offered, deductibles and co-payments. Each employee will need to make an active selection during the coming open enrollment period. Tuesday’s meeting will be the first of many opportunities to gather additional information, but I feel it’s important to start this process with you in person. Please join me on Tuesday. The meeting is open to all badge holders and will also be broadcast on ViewIt.

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

This cannot be good....

Anonymous said...

Is LLNS next?

Anonymous said...

Yes, my bet is LLNS is going to try and push all its employees off onto Obamacare where the heath care premium becomes a tax write-off for the corporation, you'll have to claim it as earned income, your cost goes up and quality of healthcare goes down. I guess that one way to control the population and assure social security stays funded so they can give it away to their voter base welfare parasites.

Anonymous said...

What a pessimistic bunch of people LLNL employees are!
Even if things look bad why get sick over them. It wont change anything!

Anonymous said...

"Why get sick over them?"

Because people on this blog ENJOY it, obviously.

Anonymous said...

September 16, 2013 at 1:17 PM


That right, just let the country go to hell at the hands of the socialist pigs, live for today and to hell with tomorrow. That's exactly why America is going down the poop chute soon to join Europe socialist way of life. Been there, seen it and it's not worth shit.

Anonymous said...

Sept16 at 5:29

Get you facts straight before spewing your vitriol.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/government/a/Hr-3590-Income-Tax-On-Health-Insurance.htm

Anonymous said...

Set 16, 5:29

You may want to check this also

https://ttlc.intuit.com/health-care/1896442-if-i-have-insurance-through-my-employer-will-i-have-to-pay-taxes-on-my-employers-contribution-to-my-premiums

I suppose you might argue Intuit is really working for the Obama administration but that would be a stretch

Anonymous said...

September 17, 2013 at 3:10 PM


It will become part of your W@ and you will be taxed on it as regular income. Have a good day Virtol watchboy!

Anonymous said...

September 17, 2013 at 3:10 PM


It will become part of your W@ and you will be taxed on it as regular income. Have a good day Virtol watchboy!

Anonymous said...

3:10
Didn't bother to go to the link I see. I am not surprised though. Typical Con...Believe what ever you are told, don't bother to check the facts and tow the party line. Ignorance is bliss.

Anonymous said...

Your party lines been screwing us good enough. Time to put the socialist pigs out to sea or maybe a big ditch

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (42 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Sales Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Tangible Taxes
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax


Read more: http://www.city-data.com/forum/other-topics/945875-list-taxes-we-pay-ugh-cost.html#ixzz2fBvcMt00

Anonymous said...

You may want to check this also

https://ttlc.intuit.com/health-care/1896442-if-i-have-insurance-through-my-employer-will-i-have-to-pay-taxes-on-my-employers-contribution-to-my-premiums

Yep, no tax this year but they IRS didn't put it there if there was no intension to tax it at a later date. You must realize the socialist democrats are money hungry bastards and if they see a way to screw you so they can get money to feed their Obama lovers on the dole and shaft those who actually work for a living they're going to do it. Standby my man, stand by.

Anonymous said...

IRS didn't put it there if there was no intension to tax it at a later date.

September 17, 2013 at 3:34 PM

Hint: set your browser for spell checking and then pay attention to the little squiggly red lines. Why should I respect the opinions of someone who never learned to spell? Get a clue about how to present yourself to the world if you want respect.

Anonymous said...

It appears that LANS wants to begin moving employees into those "High Deductible" health plans. Probably an idea straight out of the Bechtel managerial play book.

Anonymous said...

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know what was actually said at the LANL meeting? That would be more helpful than rants about socialist pigs.

Anonymous said...

If you're looking for such facts, you're in the wrong place. Sorry.

Now we resume our extremist rants...

Anonymous said...

September 17, 2013 at 3:25 PM

Well the Cons had complete control of two branches of congress for years. They could have repealed all of these taxes (if they are federal) but they didn't. What happened? Fact is repub's pass plenty of taxes of their own, they just don't talk about it. In fact, they (repub's) passed taxes just last year. I am confused by your rant.

Anonymous said...

September 17, 2013 at 3:34 PM

You still haven't read the link or you just prefer to ignore facts and live in your own reality.In any case there is little point in trying to have a dialog with an ideologue.

Anonymous said...

September 17, 2013 at 3:25 PM

Went to this link. I thought it was going to be some unbiased presentation of fact when in reality it is some anonymous blog post. This is where you get your "facts"?

Anonymous said...

It probably would be fairer if health insurance benefits were treated as taxable compensation, and rates were changed to be revenue neutral. But boy, would the insurance companies and American Medical Association put the lobbyists in hyperdrive when that idea got floated.

ncyhme 162

Anonymous said...

At a high level, the changes to LANL health plan coverage is described here:

http://www.ladailypost.com/content/lanl-health-insurance-changes-2014

Based on this article, there is a Preferred Provider Option (PPO) plan and a new High Deductible Health Plan with a Health Savings Account (HDHP/HSA). The PPO is more expensive than the HDHP/HSA.

This appears to be similar to what LLNL now offers, except that LLNL also has a Kaiser plan.

Anonymous said...

The PPO is more expensive than the HDHP/HSA.

September 19, 2013 at 4:20 PM

Better check your arithmetic!

Anonymous said...

there are very few instances where the high deductible plan is cheaper. One of them is when you are young and will probably have very few if any doctors visit, or emergency hospitals.

Even factoring in lower monthly payments in the HDHP plan and the pretax health savings for me as a male in middle age PPO is much better.

I also have to add, that every time the LAB is trying to convince me that the new benefits are better for me, my cynical response is to run in the opposite direction.

Since LANS has taken over we have seen a continuous decline in benefits, and I just don't see this trend in the current financial situation suddenly reverse.

I would be interested to hear from more people at LANL, what their thoughts are about the health plan and what they would choose.

And please no socialist or fascist pig stories.

Anonymous said...

It does not matter what plan you select, it will cost you more than what you are now paying. With that reality comes the harder decision as to what option you will select among the several more expensive choices offered. Now is a good time to determine if you expect to need medical attention in the near term, or if your current health is good enough that you can go several more years before seeing the inside of a medical facility.

Whatever the choice, expect to see it rehashed here in several years. The TCP-1 vs TCP-2 debate was a warm up act for the medical benefits selection main event.

Anonymous said...

Interesting that nothing has been sent to LANL retirees who are under 65 and still on the LANL health care plan. Two possibilities come to mind: 1) retirees will see no changes for 2014, or 2) retirees will be kicked off the LANL plan and forced into Obamacare.

Anonymous said...

there are very few instances where the high deductible plan is cheaper. One of them is when you are young and will probably have very few if any doctors visit, or emergency hospitals.

I was reporting what the article said, or what the article implied.

However, for me, the HDHP/HSA is far less expensive than the PPO. In terms of premiums as a single adult at LLNL, I would pay over $2K for the PPO whereas I actually make money with the HDHP/HSA when the tax deduction is factored in (Kaiser costs are in the middle of the two). Yes, this assumes few trips to the doctor, which is true in my case and is true for many people.

The HDHP/HSA was offered this year for the first time at LLNL. If I had it during my 20+ years at LLNL, at today's costs and factoring in actual doctor trips, I would be about $40K ahead.

I am not recommending one over the other.

Anonymous said...

Reduction in health plans is all part of the boiling frog theory in place at LANL and LLNL. Slowly turn up the heat in the pot and the frog will boil, throw frog into boiling water and they jump out. Very few/no complaints on the LANL sponsored blog, people are tired of complaining, they realize their voice is not being heard under LANS management.High deductible plan is yet another tax shelter for the upper management.

Anonymous said...

"people are tired of complaining, they realize their voice is not being heard"

September 23, 2013 at 4:04 PM

It is being heard, and is the cause of the loud guffaws coming from the senior manager meetings.

Anonymous said...

High deductible plan is yet another tax shelter for the upper management.

September 23, 2013 at 4:04 PM

Huh?? Care to explain that piece of fantasy?

Anonymous said...

I'm not the poster. However, I agree that high deductible plans *are* a nice tax shelter for higher paid people.

It basically allows you to tax shelter another 6,450/yr in an HSA, earn on it tax free, then take it out in retirement tax free. Sweet deal.

Been waiting for the lab to offer this, will save me on taxes.

Anonymous said...

September 23, 2013 at 4:04 PM

Huh?? Care to explain that piece of fantasy?

Enrolled individual can shelter pre-tax up to $6500.00 per year, it earns interest and is portable. Does not require to be used in the same year like an FSA. I hope this satisfies your fantasy!

Anonymous said...

I think you are confusing HSAs with HDHPs.

Anonymous said...

No, they're connected.

HDHP is required in order to do an HSA.

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