How will Obamacare effect our insurance?

barnyard

KTM rider
1 thing that took affect immediately was the age limit of dependents on our insurance. It used to be 21 or 23, now it is 25.
 

bumped

Well-Known Member
1 thing that took affect immediately was the age limit of dependents on our insurance. It used to be 21 or 23, now it is 25.


Also your child had to be a full time student. Now your child can be married, live out of your house, and have their own children and your child can still be on your insurance.
 

brett636

Well-Known Member
Its hard to say what will occur for the next contract regarding our insurance. My guess is the company is already experiencing huge increases in premiums due to the new requirements for insurance like allowing a child to remain on your policy till age 26, no lifetime limits on coverage, and the long list of required "free" preventative care measures. All these changes increase the overall expenses the insurance company will incurr requiring them to raise rates as a result. This contract we may see the company push for us to be required to pay a part of our monthly premiums, or they could push for lower overall coverage whereever the law allows, or they could just drop insurance altogether for part-timers. I don't see our insurance staying the way it is, even if the change is minor, for the upcoming contract. Although time will tell as the details have yet to be hammered out. If the changes are minor this time around expect them to be drastic on the next contract when the "cadiilac health plan tax" kicks in. UPS will be required to pay a tax for a healthcare plan exceeding a certain limit and our insurance plans will most likely be in that category. As a result UPS will have no choice, but to ask for serious concessions on insurance to avoid this or somehow move the extra cost onto us. Thinking our insurance will remain the way it is for the foreseeable future is a naive belief as long as Obamacare is still law.
 

klein

Für Meno :)
Well, maybe Romney will get elected, however he already promised to keep the 26 yr age rule, as well as no healthcare insurance denials.
So, the other other thing I can think of, is that under Romney there will be no mandate to be insured, unlike Romneycare in Mass.

If healthcare gets cheaper under Romney, he yet needs to come out with a plan and explain it.
 

Dracula

Package Car is cake compared to this...
Its hard to say what will occur for the next contract regarding our insurance. My guess is the company is already experiencing huge increases in premiums due to the new requirements for insurance like allowing a child to remain on your policy till age 26, no lifetime limits on coverage, and the long list of required "free" preventative care measures. All these changes increase the overall expenses the insurance company will incurr requiring them to raise rates as a result. This contract we may see the company push for us to be required to pay a part of our monthly premiums, or they could push for lower overall coverage whereever the law allows, or they could just drop insurance altogether for part-timers. I don't see our insurance staying the way it is, even if the change is minor, for the upcoming contract. Although time will tell as the details have yet to be hammered out. If the changes are minor this time around expect them to be drastic on the next contract when the "cadiilac health plan tax" kicks in. UPS will be required to pay a tax for a healthcare plan exceeding a certain limit and our insurance plans will most likely be in that category. As a result UPS will have no choice, but to ask for serious concessions on insurance to avoid this or somehow move the extra cost onto us. Thinking our insurance will remain the way it is for the foreseeable future is a naive belief as long as Obamacare is still law.


brett636, I've got news for you, UPS would've asked for insurance concessions well before Obamacare passed. We are one of the few groups of employees that don't have to pay for insurance out of our pay. Obamacare or not, UPS will make their best effort to make us pay more for insurance. Management has to pay for insurance, so you can bet it drives them nuts that we don't. If Obamacare wouldn't have passed, UPS would still be gunning for us. That is indisputable.

The only thing that will change for us, is our W-2's will show the value of our health insurance. Despite what some conservatives have claimed, this is NOT added to our total pay and is not taxable. In 2018, an annual excise tax on premiums above $10,200 for individuals, and $27,500 for families (not including dental and vision benefits). Also, this tax isn't paid by the employee, but by the insurance company.
 

brett636

Well-Known Member
brett636, I've got news for you, UPS would've asked for insurance concessions well before Obamacare passed. We are one of the few groups of employees that don't have to pay for insurance out of our pay. Obamacare or not, UPS will make their best effort to make us pay more for insurance. Management has to pay for insurance, so you can bet it drives them nuts that we don't. If Obamacare wouldn't have passed, UPS would still be gunning for us. That is indisputable.

The only thing that will change for us, is our W-2's will show the value of our health insurance. Despite what some conservatives have claimed, this is NOT added to our total pay and is not taxable. In 2018, an annual excise tax on premiums above $10,200 for individuals, and $27,500 for families (not including dental and vision benefits). Also, this tax isn't paid by the employee, but by the insurance company.

So much naivety in your post.

First off you are correct that UPS would love for us to pay part of our premiums, and Obamacare was just the ammunition they needed to get that ball rolling. An issue that may or may not have seen any changes in upcoming contracts will get alot more focus now since the company will be forced to bear a much higher than anticipated insurance cost.

Regarding the cadillac health care tax, I want you to try your best to think this through logically. Regardless of who pays the tax the end user always pays for it. If the insurance company is hit with the tax then they hike the rates on the employer. When the employer has to pay the higher rates come contract times the employer will be more likely to push for higher costs for the employee or less coverage whichever area gets both parties to a middle ground. Just like when you increase taxes to a business that business passes that cost onto its customers who ultimately bear the tax, just indirectly. Its whoever the buck stops with is who gets the shaft regardless of where the increased cost originated, and in this case its the employees.
 

Richard Harrow

Deplorable.
Obamacare does not kick in until 2018---we should be fine this contract---the next one will be very interesting.

I doubt it. Hoffa will either sell us out the contract after next, or Romney and a republican slate will be elected and this unconstitutional mess will be repealed. I of course am hoping for the latter.
 

barnyard

KTM rider
Also your child had to be a full time student. Now your child can be married, live out of your house, and have their own children and your child can still be on your insurance.

My oldest is working on her master's and PhD. Not having to worry about health insurance has been very nice. The youngest is being recruited to go to grad school (she has 1 year of under-grad left.) Not having to worry about health insurance opens up funding options and makes them more attractive to the grad school they attend.
 

wgf46

Well-Known Member
Is UPS self insured? Invest the premiums paid by those that do have to pay insurance premiums and pay claims with that money? Contracting the paperwork details to a side company, AETNA. Just curious.
 
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