I just received my dh's first paystub of this year. Without warning the health insurance has gone up to $137.84 biweekly pay. This is just for him and I, the dks are not even on this. He only gets a $.25 raise a year. It was $117.02 biweekly.

It is a very bad health insurance, the deductible is terribly high, etc.

Just frustrated today. I can't believe they raised it without a letter, aarrrggghhh..

You have to remember my dh work's as a behavior specialist for a company that subcontracts him out to the county public school system. By the way it sounds he would earn a lot of money, just in fact you would laugh at what we live off of
He works school hours, but the school is 50 minutes away. He leaves before 7 a.m. and doesn't get home until after 5.

He will receive his bachelor's degree by this time next year and he tells me to be patient our poverty years are soon over. (He tries to get me to look at the long term picture). We have very little bills, but currently I still need a new transmission. He is looking at a part time job with another company and if this company would take him fulltime it would be a $5 increase in pay.

I know I'm just rattling on, it's just soooo frustrating.

By Mommyathome on Thursday, January 8, 2004 - 11:53 am:

((((hugs))))
Keep your chin up! Sounds like you are on the right track working towards something better.

By Marg on Thursday, January 8, 2004 - 12:00 pm:

Thanks Robin, I know it looks ridiculous what I just posted. I guess that on top of dh had to have a root canal total cost $1183, we've paid 1/2. The company does not offer any dental insurance in its plan. We have been so blessed. Just one of those days.

By Mommmie on Thursday, January 8, 2004 - 12:08 pm:

Health insurance is really getting out of hand. To cover my son through my work, I pay $250/month. Thank God I'm not married or it would be $750/month!

By Sue3 on Thursday, January 8, 2004 - 01:26 pm:

Marg sorry you are going through this
I just got a root canal a week ago
and have to get another one on
the 19th!
Our insurance stinks also,it covers something like 30 percent and dh just got a bonus
no raise though so I guess I should be glad because his bonus will pay for some of the dental work.((I`m not glad though)
hang in there!

By Tonya on Thursday, January 8, 2004 - 01:57 pm:

I for sure know what you mean. I pay $40 a week for myself if Timmy was on it it would be $90 a week for the 2 of us but after that the cost doesn't go up to add more children.

By Kay on Thursday, January 8, 2004 - 02:17 pm:

I don't know if this will make you feel better, but if my office did not pay for all of my family's premiums (it was part of a benefit), I would be shelling out.....

$1560 Per Month!!!

Yep - that's over $18,000 a year for coverage for me, my dh, and my three dk's.

By Marg on Thursday, January 8, 2004 - 02:21 pm:

That is ridiculous Kay, you could buy your own health insurance cheaper!

My dh doesn't know they raised the premiums yet, he has not gotten home from work, and I know he will not be happy.

By Mommyathome on Thursday, January 8, 2004 - 02:22 pm:

Same here Kay....if DH's work didn't pay for our health insurance, it would be $900 a month.
Absolutely ridiculous if you ask me.

By Kittycat_26 on Thursday, January 8, 2004 - 02:56 pm:

Just to give you an idea.......I work at the hospital and we pay 10% of our premiums and the rest is paid by our employer. For family coverage, we pay $88/monthly for medical insurance only. It is about the same cost for our dental/vision insurance. We cover alot too; however, we keep costs down by mandating where you can receive care.

Our employees think they have it bad. They should see what some of you are paying for insurance.

By Newbabysarah on Thursday, January 8, 2004 - 03:03 pm:

I know what your hubby is saying about waiting it out. Mine just started his own business and it's tight. It is starting to really pick up but the business has to maintain itself. He really has alot of overhead so just to break even he has to make a considerable amount. We don't have insurance for that reason, I just pay out of pocket for Sarah's doctor visits. I know its risky but we just cannot afford anything else. Fortunatly for us, alot of our bills will be paid off in the upcoming 6 months so we will about 900 dollars on top and he should be earning more than what he is currently bringing home. I just remain happy that I have him and Sarah and you know, I have to just say "thank you God for keeping me and my family safe today."

By Lauram on Thursday, January 8, 2004 - 03:29 pm:

About 2 years ago, mine was about 1400 a month- but I pay only 10% (so about 140) for family coverage. I'm not sure what it's up to now, but I am truly grateful for the coverage. We use it- especially for perscriptions and office visists for the kids. My dh's company offers health insurance, but they pay nothing.

By Karen~moderator on Thursday, January 8, 2004 - 03:36 pm:

Typically, all, or at least most, group health plans raise their premiums each calender year, or on the date of the policy renewal. They range from maybe 8% to as high as 50%. The size of the group that is insured, and the experience (meaning the median age of the insureds and their claim experience) greatly determnines the increase amount. I've experienced the 48% increase at my job. Thankfully, my employer pays 100% of my coverage, but we only have 3 employees in our group - one is a very young guy, then me (with HUGE medical bills), and my boss's wife, who is over 60. I have to pay the coverage on my kids, which is currently $600 a month. Yes, that is $600 a MONTH. I might as well be working just to pay insurance and medical and prescription bills. This does not include any dental or eye care coverage. My X carries dental on the kids through his plan at his job.

I have no dental and have been needing a root canal for several months. I don't happen to have the cash right now.

We are changing insurance carriers in a few weeks because our current carrier has raised the rates so much the company and *I* can't afford them. I'm hoping to be able to get some dental coverage. As it stands now, if we stay with the plan we're on, I'll be paying $700 a month for my kids' coverage, plus higher copays for everything. On the new plan we are hoping to get on, it will *only* cost me $360 a month to insure the kids.

By Jewlz on Thursday, January 8, 2004 - 05:12 pm:

we just about went on strike here ... i mean my hubby and his work ..cuz he was payin 776 for a hmo policy ... and then in negotiations they took the premium down to 76 dollars a month for our half ... and that includes dental and eye ...

By Kay on Thursday, January 8, 2004 - 10:33 pm:

One of the reasons our insurance is so high is my dd has a chronic illness - Crohn's disease. Also, my assistant is a diabetic, and has been in ICU at least twice in the past 5 years. We're what you call a 'high risk' group. But, since I don't pay one penny for it, and I'm getting what amounts to an $18,000 benefit in addition to my salary and perks, I suppose I shouldn't complain.

But overall, insurance has gotten so way out of hand that the 400 physicians I work for are second-guessing their profession when some of them are havingto pay $250,000 per year for malpractice insurance.

It's a tough world out there!