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Increase in Cost of Benefits - MTFOR4

Posted: Mar 09, 2011

Help!!!

Okay, I've been working PT for MQ for 7 long years. I am considering going FT just for the benefits because no one can live off of minimum wage.

Because information on open enrollment will not be available until late April/May for June 2011, I need to know if the rates normally go up and by about how much?

Please, I only want to hear from MQ (not recently new to MQ from Spheris or non-MQ people) people who have been full time for the last 5 years who know this first hand. It's frustrating how corporate keeps everything hush hush as if they're ready to drop a bomb! Maybe they are. Or maybe I'm just a pessimist.

Thank you in advance for anyone who can help!

benefits - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
The rates are figured on whatever your "benefit rate" is. It tends to change every time your benefit rate goes up or down (usually down).

benefits - mt

[ In Reply To ..]
I have been full-time with benefits for the last 4 years. I am assuming you are talking about insurance/disability, etc.? The first year I only had insurance on myself, so of course I had a drastic increase the second year when I added the whole family. I don't remember exactly how much it changed when I renewed the following years, but I don't think it was more than $20 or so per check for the health insurance. As far as disability, life, etc., what you pay for those depends on how much coverage you select. Again, I don't remember those going up too much either.

Hope that helps.

Increase in Cost of Benefits - MTfor4

[ In Reply To ..]
Yes, that is kind of what I was looking for. Thank you for responding. I am mostly interested in Medical, Dental and Vision. Not the other stuff. If my husband loses his job, we will need benefits to cover the family and I will be working FT making minimum wage just to pay for the benefits. Sad sad, but that's the way it is. Just have to take one day at a time, keep the faith and know that things will get better.

hope this helps - FT MT

[ In Reply To ..]
I have been on the family plan since 2006. Health insurance premiums stayed the same this entire time at 187.50 each paycheck. Dental premiums increased last year by a few dollars a month (now I think around 50), but that was the first time for an increase since 2006. Short-term disability and long-term disability are based off your income, so as you make more money the premiums increase and vice versa. I do not have the vision insurance, it was free for a long time and then last year we had to start paying for it.

As a full disclosure, my husband was eligible for health insurance at his job so we switched over as of January because it was cheaper, but I still carry the dental and other benefits.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Cost of Benefits - MTfor4

[ In Reply To ..]
Thank you FT MT - I just have a sick feeling about going FT time and I am pessimistic that like gasoline, food, the cost of health insurance will be going up also. We already have life and disability through another avenue that turns out better for us right now. Hard times.

remember it is pretax - FT MT

[ In Reply To ..]
I too am afraid that with Obamacare looming in the future that premiums will be skyrocketing. However, until that happens it sounds like you are doing the best you can to be prepared for your family. Although the benefits do take a huge chunk out of your check, it is pretax money so it will help you at tax time. MQ insurance works best for those who rarely use the doctor. Physicals/health maintenance are free. MQ then gives $1000 per year towards the deductible. We only went to the doctor for earaches or coughs (minor stuff), thankfully we never had any major issue. We never used over the $1000 and always had some money roll into the next year. Hang in there.

Cost of Benefits - MTfor4

[ In Reply To ..]
Now I am unfamilar with MQ giving $1000 per year towards the deductible, so no out of pocket deductible until after exceeding $1000?

So far we are pretty healthy too, so that would be good...and of course the preventative stuff.

Its just making the plunge. Just have to keep looking at the bright side.

for the HRA plan - FT MT

[ In Reply To ..]
I think the deductible for family is $1500 (used to be $1000), so MQ would pay the first $1000, but then after that you are on the hook for the next $2000, then 70/30 for the next $5000. No copays and RX does not count towards deductible.

There is also a Choice Plus plan which is a little cheaper per month (15 less per paycheck) with $1500 deductible, no MQ $1000, then 70/30 up to $5000. $25 copay for every visit including physicals. Truly depends on how much you think your family will go to the doctor.

Open enrollment will be here soon and United Health has a website where you can compare plans and figure out what coverage you will need.

It is a lot of pressure taking the insurance- you can't say @#$% and quit with no notice, you have a higher minimum to hit (150 per hour) and you had better have 39 hours per week or the insurance will be yanked out from under you. Oh and if you do quit, the insurance ends at the end of the month- quit at the beginning of the month if you must :)

Cost of Benefits - MTfor4

[ In Reply To ..]
FT MT thank you again for all your info. I have a lot of research to do between now and open enrollment. I know what you mean about the pressure, the 150/hr line. It would be a time of desperation that I would consider doing this. I am still having a very hard time swallowing the pill of being paid minimum wage. I have never in my life had a minimum wage job until this.

MQ $1000 - mt

[ In Reply To ..]
There were 2 different options. I chose the HSA option, but I don't remember what they called it, or what they called the other one. With the HSA option, you have a $3000 deductible. Since it is an HSA account, Medquist puts the first $1000 into your account for you, essentially paying for your first $1000 of your deductible. Once you pass $1000, you are responsible for your deductible until you hit $3000.

In 4 years, I have only passed the $1000 once, and that was only because of a $2500 ER visit for my son with asthma. Everyone on your plan gets 1 well-visit a year paid 100%, not put towards your deductible.

I pay about $180 per check now for myself, my husband and 2 kids. I guess $360/month isn't too bad, considering I haven't had to pay for ANY doctor's visits in 3 years. All 4 of us take daily medications, about $600/month without insurance. It works for us to pay the $360 in insurance just so we can have the RX coverage.

Good luck with your decision.

Cost of Benefits - MTfor4

[ In Reply To ..]
Thank you for your reply. I have a lot to investigate to see what plan will work best for our family. So far we have been pretty healthy too and just need insurance for the fear of catostrophic illness/injury. The dental and vision look pretty good (compared to not having any coverage at all).

Also, On the benefits plan sheet I am referring to it shows family coverage (medical only) as being $259.22 per Pay period--making it over 500/month. I'm not aware of there being more than one option? Would this be on the United Health website/Medquist?

look on MQ central - NJA Queen

[ In Reply To ..]
Under Human Resources Benefits 2010 and then Medical. It shows both plans and what they cost. I am not sure what you are referring to, but 259.22 per paycheck sounds too much.

Increase in cost of benefits - kittykat

[ In Reply To ..]
They do not typically go up, if they do I have not noticed. They were pricey for health ins. when my husband was alive, but for single they are about 140 a month. Hopes this helps. I also have short-term and long-term disability and they are I think a little pricey, but I am older now and need them.

Cost of Benefits - MTfor4

[ In Reply To ..]
Actually, from what I am looking at 2010 plan, it will cost around $600 out of paycheck every month (for full family coverage medical, dental and vision) which is pretty good. Right now we are with Carefirst BC/BS paying 1100/month for medical only!

I actually still remember the days when the corporation would pay 100% benefits. Those were the good 'ole days -- long gone :(

medical costs - plugging along

[ In Reply To ..]
I have been with medquist almost 5 years. I have had medical coverage and disability all along. Before the payroll change to every other week, the medical (mind you I did not choose the flex medical account)but choice plus, every paycheck major medical was $250 deducted, dental was $46, vision was free until about a year or so ago, then $17 and I chose all the disabilities which totaled about 8 or 10 per paycheck. Now with the new payroll system it is: Major medical $230.77, dental $44.46, vision $5.93. The disability (which you were not interested in) totals $10.95 which includes life insurance on myself of $50,000 and my husband of $25,000. I have never had an increase or decrease based on my benefit rate and believe me it has fluctuated a lot especially when we kept changing clients or life changes at home interrupting. I hope this helps. It is a big chunk out of a paycheck, but with our Rxs and Dr visits it really helps cut costs. A few ER visits in there too.

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