> With that kind of expense, how are you supposed pay for all your health care
> that isn't covered by your health insurance, save for retirement, pay for
> college and weddings and maybe buy a brick of film ever so often? BB
We both work multiple jobs.
OK, so I need to correct the information a little. I wasn't adding up correctly.
W2, box DD is the employer-paid and employee-paid total of the
health-insurance. But the important thing to remember is that this is
a paid benefit that is part of my entire employment package.
Therefore, it is absolutely part of my salary.
Box DD: $14,775. Additional insurance coverage not included in DD: $981.
Total health insurance cost for 2016: $15,756.
Total contributed to HSA for 2016: $3,000.
Health care plan for 2016 had a $4000 deductible with 80/20 coverage
up to $10,000 maximum out of pocket.
With the HRT my wife takes, some brain thingies for me, and a couple
of doctors visits for minor ailments, we blew through the HSA and
almost two thousand beyond that. Insurance literally paid for NOTHING,
except for dental/eye things, which is supplemental.
$15,756
$05,000
-----------
$20,756
======
Oh, and hearing aids of about another $5000 and another $1000 to
finish paying off braces... It was an expensive year. For 2017, we
changed to the bad plan, which is about $2500 less a year, but is
70/30 and an $8000 deductible.
I checked on the "Obamacare" open market. The problem is that all the
plans available for this part of Iowa are REALLY bad, expensive and
have limited options for hospital networks. When I came back to
working in Iowa, we had an issue with the enrollment and my wife and
daughter had to get insurance on the open market. We found what was,
on paper, a really decent plan with decent rates and everything, but
the coverage ended up being simply awful. In fact, what happened was
the providers were charging extra if you had those plans. The co-pay
was actually higher than a straight cash transaction.
When I was working in Colorado, my employer was Illinois or Utah
based, forgot which one, and the insurance was excellent and cost half
of what this one does.
When we move and I get a new employer, the insurance package will
certainly be part of the employment package for consideration.
AG
--
_________________________________________________________________
Options: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/listinfo/olympus
Archives: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/private/olympus/
Themed Olympus Photo Exhibition: http://www.tope.nl/
|