NH state employees

[lildog]

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Charlie+Arlinghaus%3a+How+state+employees+can+save+themselves+and+taxpayers+some+money&articleId=de14eaab-1347-4cd9-9c4d-4f69b30b4c52

New Hampshire state employees have the most expensive health insurance in the country and no other state is even close. According to the annual survey by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), the average state spends about $9,800 for state employee family health coverage. State employee family coverage in New Hampshire is $22,634. The state with the second highest-cost family health coverage in the country, Vermont, pays $14,400. Forty-nine states are playing in one league and New Hampshire is on a different planet.

[Rosie the Riveter]

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Charlie+Arlinghaus%3a+How+state+employees+can+save+themselves+and+taxpayers+some+money&articleId=de14eaab-1347-4cd9-9c4d-4f69b30b4c52

New Hampshire state employees have the most expensive health insurance in the country and no other state is even close. According to the annual survey by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), the average state spends about $9,800 for state employee family health coverage. State employee family coverage in New Hampshire is $22,634. The state with the second highest-cost family health coverage in the country, Vermont, pays $14,400. Forty-nine states are playing in one league and New Hampshire is on a different planet.

Is that per year?? If it is.. Is that possible?? -- Where I work the few full-time employees have great and I mean GREAT health coverage and the family plan is about $1000 per month and we have a small company with no "big group" leverage... I thought that was expensive!!! But holy shit almost $1,900 per month are they kidding...

[Pat K]

My employer pays 1600 a month for my health insurance and I contribute a 100 for a total of 1700, so I can believe it.

[Rosie the Riveter]

My employer pays 1600 a month for my health insurance and I contribute a 100 for a total of 1700, so I can believe it.

Yea, but you're worth it.

[error]

My employer pays 1600 a month for my health insurance and I contribute a 100 for a total of 1700, so I can believe it.

Yea, but you're worth it.

Wow, I knew health care had gotten bloody expensive, but I hadn't realized it was that bad. I know people who don't make that much in salary!

[KBCraig]

My employer pays 1600 a month for my health insurance and I contribute a 100 for a total of 1700, so I can believe it.

But you're in Noo Yawk City (git a rope!)

I'm risking more smites here by mentioning that I work for fed.gov, but I have to point out that the oft-vaunted "federal benefits" aren't so hot compared to the private sector. I pay $135.99 per biweekly pay period for health insurance, which is one third the total cost. (Postal workers pay 10%; everyone else pays a third.)

That's roughly $10,600 a year total for self+family medical coverage. Vision/dental are separate, and we pay 100% for those plans. (We use my vision plan, and Mary's dental plan through her private employer. Together, they're roughly $50 biweekly.)

The NH state employees system is absolutely insane, and I think it illustrates the point well: when the patient has no interest in keeping the costs low, when everything is "free", then costs soar.

Kevin

[KBCraig]

Charlie Arlinghaus nails it: to keep costs low, give the consumer incentive.

Doesn't matter whether it's government or private sector, HSAs make total sense. Much better than the current system, which is a result of WWII wage freezes.

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Charlie+Arlinghaus%3a+State+employees+need+incentives+beyond+co-pays+to+save+on+health+care&articleId=7fb4d3a0-be60-4d08-a7cc-ac616826be3c

Kevin