steven / November 28, 2007 8:29 AM

It increased, of course, but I'd still rather pay the increase than not have any insurance at all. Don't know what I'd do without it. Be broke, that's for sure.

Shasta / November 28, 2007 8:37 AM

With the cost of health insurance going up about 9% across the board, it's a pretty safe bet to say that near all employers had to raise costs for employee health insurance for 2008. I'm increasing my PPO coverage to 90%/10% coinsurance from 80%/20%, plus $25 primary/$50 specialist copays, and $10 generic/$30 brand Rx copays. With medical, wellness, and service credits deducted, I'll be paying $508 for health insurance for 2008. This does not include vision or dental. I could have gone with 80/20 again, however there's a chance I might need surgery so I'd rather pay a little extra for the peach of mind.

Compared to the industry my company is in, our health insurance options are pretty good.

james / November 28, 2007 10:10 AM

It actually decreased by almost 30%. Our rates are determined by our salary bracket and the one I fall under was the only one to decrease. The others all increased by 15%. No complaints here.

Dragonslayer / November 28, 2007 1:04 PM

I'm pretty certain my health care costs are flat from this year to next. I think I'm shelling out ~$1,400 for the year. I'm relatively healthy I haven't come close to spending that much annually for health care, but it only takes one accident...

milena / November 28, 2007 1:39 PM

im very fortuante--the small company i work for sees health insurance coverage as a very important employee benifit, so they foot the bill--no cost to us. I only wish that this practice was mandatory and health care was universal--in my perfect world!

Lori / November 28, 2007 5:12 PM

Mine is very good. It was never explained to me that we had a 500.00 ded. and 500.00 out of pocket to go w/ the insurance, so that was a suprise when it came time for an MRI.

v / November 28, 2007 6:38 PM

Milena, my company is like that too! $30 copay and that's it -- which is incredible in this day and age.

michellemybelle / November 28, 2007 8:14 PM

My work pays for all of my medical (I have an HMO that's okay, but I'm tired of all my prescriptions being the hightest priced ones), but if I had my spouse or kids on it, it would be almost $400/month! I have to pay for vision and dental, but that's less than $12 or so for both each month.
Still, even with insurance, a serious illness or injury would do great harm to my financial situation. It makes me sick to think about it!

David / November 28, 2007 11:49 PM

Alas, there's none for me. I pay for mine.

Carrie / November 29, 2007 10:23 AM

This is going to sound terrible, but I don't even know if my rates are going up. I think they are, but I just scanned the email-- ignorance is bliss for this situation for me. I'm happy to have health insurance and having paid for lousy health insurance out of pocket before, I'm not going to whine if my rates go up a bit. We have pretty good through the mail drug coverage, I had lots of tests run last year, was at the drs office probably once a month for about 8 months and it cost me very little. If my rates are going up, it will probably still be worth it for random-stuff-always-happens-to-me-Carrie.

Spook / November 29, 2007 10:37 AM

This might sound terrible too as its gone up about ten bucks, from being dirt cheap. I don't really keep track, but when I had to go to the E.R for some stitches after being hacked on the b-ball court, I didn't have to pay one cent! My last position only covered emergency room care, if you were admited for an over night stay! This is why I'm for socialized heath care, because why should I enjoy such care over some body with no care? I'd should actually pay more so some one else could be covered. Its interesting that every member of congress isn't for this, but who pays for their health care? We do!

tk / November 29, 2007 10:38 AM

Freelance, self insured, and terrified to use it for fear i'll get an increase or be dropped all together. We (husband and I are insured together) just had a random 10% increase, and when I called to find out why, I was told that we could count on an annual increase (shared among all insured) as well as a bump for both of us every time either my husband or I hit a birthday ending in 5 or 0.

Had I known that, I would have married a guy born in the same year!

Brian / November 29, 2007 12:02 PM

We are just getting big enough to get our people insurance. We are footing the whole thing since young, healthy, immortal employees otherwise keep turning it down.

Poppy / November 29, 2007 1:33 PM

I pay $76.40/week to insure me and my husband in a PPO program where we get to choose our doctors and do not need referrals to see specialists. We have $10 primary/$30 specialist co-pays and $10 genaric rx co-pays. I also have dental for $7.40/week. I think medical coverage went up about $5/week at the last increase. We do have a flex plan where I contribute $$ pre-tax to get reimbursed for stuff like co-pays and eyeglasses.

It's alot, but it's also peace of mind, and $3972.80/year is worth it.

Dan R / November 29, 2007 2:03 PM

The rates are going up. But these days, I think I'm just happy to have insurance and a job. Lots of people are not so lucky.

annie / November 29, 2007 4:22 PM

Carrie..I'm in the same spot. I have no clue what I pay, but I know I have BCBS PPO and apparently that is very good. In college I had to pay for a PUMA and it was so expensive, so I'm happy to be covered and to have the option of what Dr. I see, especially in case of an emergency. I just had foot surger and I saw the bill yesterday, I'm paying about $400 and the whole thing cost $3000, so needless to say, I'm happy.

The El / November 29, 2007 9:30 PM

Reeks. Just turned me down for a MRI. Hate Aetna. BC never would have done that ...shades of Sicko?