Anonymously contributed:
Just got home from the drugstore. Coverage for my medications under the new Anthem-Blue Cross EPO plan that I was basically FORCED into by LLNS when they canceled Health Net is way, way down. I have to pay $35 for each medication, when under Health Net, I had to pay $10 or at the most $20. (Plus, they wouldn't even cover two of my medications without special justification from my doctor.....they wanted me to pay $389 for one of them and $125 for the other.)
This is despite the fact that my own contribution to the Anthem-Blue Cross EPO Health Plan (given my years of service to UC) WENT UP FROM $240/month for better coverage under Health Net TO MORE THAN $380/month (almost a 60% increase). And office co-pays went from $15 to $20. Less and less coverage for more and more money. Thanks DOE. Thanks UC. Thanks LLNS. Thanks George Miller.
Don't want to hear how LLNS is doing us such a great favor because "medical benefits are not guaranteed." The FACT is that UC retirees from non-LLNL/non-LANL campuses (including LBNL, Berkeley, Santa Barbara, UCLA, Davis, San Francisco, San Diego, Santa Cruz, Irvine, and probably UC Merced, if there are any) still have more choices in plans (like our old Health Net), pay lower premiums, and have better benefits. I feel like a second-class UC citizen. Why are we being treated so differently than UC retirees from the other campuses?
I was SOLD on the idea when I came to work at LLNL and throughout my career, on a UC RETIREMENT (and all benefits thereby included, those guaranteed or not). NOT a DOE RETIREMENT. NOT a LLNS RETIREMENT. I understood that health benefits for retirees were not guaranteed. BUT, nobody even said that UC/LLNL retirement benefits would be anything less or even different from OTHER UC campuses.
It doesn't seem right or fair. Maybe it's legal, but it ought to be investigated. Seems like the stuff class-action lawsuits are made of.
Any opinions out there?
Just got home from the drugstore. Coverage for my medications under the new Anthem-Blue Cross EPO plan that I was basically FORCED into by LLNS when they canceled Health Net is way, way down. I have to pay $35 for each medication, when under Health Net, I had to pay $10 or at the most $20. (Plus, they wouldn't even cover two of my medications without special justification from my doctor.....they wanted me to pay $389 for one of them and $125 for the other.)
This is despite the fact that my own contribution to the Anthem-Blue Cross EPO Health Plan (given my years of service to UC) WENT UP FROM $240/month for better coverage under Health Net TO MORE THAN $380/month (almost a 60% increase). And office co-pays went from $15 to $20. Less and less coverage for more and more money. Thanks DOE. Thanks UC. Thanks LLNS. Thanks George Miller.
Don't want to hear how LLNS is doing us such a great favor because "medical benefits are not guaranteed." The FACT is that UC retirees from non-LLNL/non-LANL campuses (including LBNL, Berkeley, Santa Barbara, UCLA, Davis, San Francisco, San Diego, Santa Cruz, Irvine, and probably UC Merced, if there are any) still have more choices in plans (like our old Health Net), pay lower premiums, and have better benefits. I feel like a second-class UC citizen. Why are we being treated so differently than UC retirees from the other campuses?
I was SOLD on the idea when I came to work at LLNL and throughout my career, on a UC RETIREMENT (and all benefits thereby included, those guaranteed or not). NOT a DOE RETIREMENT. NOT a LLNS RETIREMENT. I understood that health benefits for retirees were not guaranteed. BUT, nobody even said that UC/LLNL retirement benefits would be anything less or even different from OTHER UC campuses.
It doesn't seem right or fair. Maybe it's legal, but it ought to be investigated. Seems like the stuff class-action lawsuits are made of.
Any opinions out there?
Comments
So why don't we get coverage under Betchel's umbrella - hmm? Certainly they are a large enough company to garner a decent rate for insurance on the market.
It's all about cost saving and LLNS / ULM is going to get big bonus checks for screwing you again. I went to the Anthem Blue Cross site to see what coverage was going to cost me and the spouse per month for medicare and its up to $309 and that doesn't cover 100% of your medical expenses and prescriptions. I have written them to see what I have to get to be covered 100% of my expenses since I know as I get older I will need more care. My next questions will be, is this coverage good outside the Californication. Just one more carrot thay can not dangle in the noses of anyone they hope to hire.
By the way, did insurance premiums go up for current employees as well as for retirees? It wouldn't matter to the like of George Miller.....he could easily handle the increases, what with his big salary and (private, non-disclosed) bonuses.
You can bet that NNSA is eagerly waiting for the day when they can finally stab their loyal and long term contract retirees in the back and kick them into the gutter.
Don't worry son, the Obamanator going to fix it so you all have equal medical care paid for by the tax payers. hell he just put in his first EO today with two more to come. One releases the enemy in PR and the other one releases them here in America. Good start Big-O. You're making all type of point with the parents of the men and women who died so you could be king and with the military in general. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/obama_guantanamo Opps I forgot, we'll have to see they get free medical first and while we're at it give then social security and restitution for being soooo mistreated while housed in a prison as they should be.
I think they are going to pull the rug out from under our Health Insurance Benefits.
I came to work for UC, not DOE or LLNS. I would support a class action suit with monthly contributions to recover our UC medical coverage.
SPSE, which I supported for great many years, should take the lead to file this suit. At the very least, it should put up a webpage for people to signup for the class action suit.
BTW, I am ecstatic about not working for the lab anymore. The last two years were pretty awful.
My two cents worth.
I think they are going to pull the rug out from under our Health Insurance Benefits.
I came to work for UC, not DOE or LLNS. I would support a class action suit with monthly contributions to recover our UC medical coverage.
SPSE, which I supported for great many years, should take the lead to file this suit. At the very least, it should put up a webpage for people to signup for the class action suit.
The SSA uses the most recent IRS information in determining Part B premiums to see if you pay more than the normal rate, so it's behind two tax years. This isn't an issue if you retire a couple of years before you turn 65. The following article explains how you can request the SSA to review your new, lower retirement income.
http://content.kiplinger.com/columns/ask/
archive/2006/q1109.htm
I just heard on the radio . . . Anthem Blue Cross wants to increase their health insurance rates 39% because they say, " they are loosing money because there are too many 'baby boomers' out there. I say, BOO HOO to this. They have to go before the "crooks" in congress to get this approved. The lobbyists will easily get that one approved.
My next vote for President will guarantee - The Big-O becomes a "one term president" and ends up selling tires, you know where!
Don't worry about the Big-O breaking this great country of ours. He can't break it any more than you can break 1st base and prevent baseball from ever being played again in the USA. The silent minority will never let that happen.
Strike 3, Mr. Obama, your outta' here!