Could you pay health insurance right now? - Election & Politics

eelo · 09-05-2009, 08:39 PM

Poll coming, be patient.

The average employer-sponsored premium for a family of four costs close to $13,000 a year, and the employee foots about 30 percent of this cost (i.e. approximately $3900/year or just over $300/month). http://www.nchc.org/facts/cost.shtml

Poll questions: Active duty military families do not pay premiums for health care. In your current situation, could you (assuming you're an active duty military family) come up with $300 a month out of your current paycheck(s) to pay for your health care?

What changes would you have to make in order to pay that premium? After paying that premium, you'd still have co-pays and out-of-pocket expenses that could be thousands of dollars a year in addition to the cost of the premium. Do you have the funds for that?

Yes, I'm hoping for a debate.

BJo · 09-05-2009, 08:41 PM

When I graduated college and was working for an employer that did not pay for benefits, there was absolutely no way I could afford health insurance. It would have swallowed 90% of one of my paychecks.

At this moment, I still could not afford health insurance unless the company I worked for offered it.

His*PITA* · 09-05-2009, 08:41 PM

I have always paid for my health care (i.e taking a certain amount out of my paychecks per week for it, not the whole thing) so I for me it doesn't seem to be a far fetched idea... while I think free military health care is great, I would not have a problem paying the same prices for the same stuff I do now (office visits, Rx's, sometimes lab work, and so on)

BlueBird · 09-05-2009, 08:41 PM

Absolutely not. There is no way - which is why I didn't have health insurance before I was married for years.

I'm not even sure what changes we could make in order to pay for it considering that I am not medically able to work right now.

Ash Mark's. · 09-05-2009, 08:43 PM

Hell no. I have maybe 100 extra at the end of the month, and that goes to my dinner at work and the rest is saved up for my yearly car insurence payment.

miamoa2002 · 09-05-2009, 08:44 PM

Come up with $300, absolutely. If we wouldn't have tricare my job has excellent healthcare too for $150 per month for families.

BJo · 09-05-2009, 08:45 PM

I'm an idiot and just saw the premium you stated. No, I could not afford that. When I looked for health insurance back in '06 it was almost $1,000/month for a decent plan.

littlebird · 09-05-2009, 08:46 PM

No. As a graduate student, I make roughly $11,000 a year. And I'm not independently wealthy. So hell no could I afford it.

TheBryTree · 09-05-2009, 08:46 PM

We could but we'd have to cut down our cable and phone plans and/or cutting back on how much we save per month. We'd have to cut back on eating out as much (our main splurge - we love to eat out) but we could pay for it if we had to.

We wouldn't be owning the house if we had to pay for it all along!

ETA: If we had to go to the doctor a lot or something, we wouldn't be able to afford it. Currently, we never use health care except for Molly's well baby visits.

LoveKiss · 09-05-2009, 08:47 PM

I currently pay the employee share of my health insurance, plus co-pays and premiums for certain scrips. It's necessary, and I make it happen. FWIW, I'm the only income source in this family since I am a single parent and my ex does not pay child support.

View Poll Results: Can your household budget accommodate a $300/month insurance premium?
Sure, we could handle that, where's my checkbook?	24	21.43%
Oh heck no, I don't have that kind of extra money!	57	50.89%
We could do it, but we'd have to give up something (please explain).	24	21.43%
Other. Of course. Because you have just GOT to be heard.	7	6.25%
Voters: 112. You may not vote on this poll

09-05-2009, 08:39 PM	#1 (permalink)
eelo "Delightfully off course." Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Va Beach Posts: 25,109 Blog Entries: 1 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 98% Longevity: 27%	Could you pay health insurance right now? Poll coming, be patient. The average employer-sponsored premium for a family of four costs close to $13,000 a year, and the employee foots about 30 percent of this cost (i.e. approximately $3900/year or just over $300/month). http://www.nchc.org/facts/cost.shtml Poll questions: Active duty military families do not pay premiums for health care. In your current situation, could you (assuming you're an active duty military family) come up with $300 a month out of your current paycheck(s) to pay for your health care? What changes would you have to make in order to pay that premium? After paying that premium, you'd still have co-pays and out-of-pocket expenses that could be thousands of dollars a year in addition to the cost of the premium. Do you have the funds for that? Yes, I'm hoping for a debate. __________________ I proudly make use of the IGNORE feature. If I don't answer your posts, it might just be that you're irrelevant. If you think your fingers are pink.... just wait till you see your poop tomorrow! (jennypage 9/27) Originally Posted by NikkNakk 11/18/09: wow...i cant believe she did that on her thingy

09-05-2009, 08:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
HisPITA Auntie to Jens Kids, Snooty O Wife to Settles Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Kuwait Posts: 18,998 Blog Entries: 1 Classifieds: (7) Activity: 94% Longevity: 21%	I have always paid for my health care (i.e taking a certain amount out of my paychecks per week for it, not the whole thing) so I for me it doesn't seem to be a far fetched idea... while I think free military health care is great, I would not have a problem paying the same prices for the same stuff I do now (office visits, Rx's, sometimes lab work, and so on) __________________ She will be mine.

09-05-2009, 08:41 PM	#4 (permalink)
BlueBird operation: be strong Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 5,160 Classifieds: (6) Activity: 91% Longevity: 19%	Absolutely not. There is no way - which is why I didn't have health insurance before I was married for years. I'm not even sure what changes we could make in order to pay for it considering that I am not medically able to work right now. __________________

09-05-2009, 08:43 PM	#5 (permalink)
Ash Mark's. But not the yucky kind ☼ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: [Me] SW Florida [Him] On a boat & it's going fast & he's got a nautical themed pashmina afghan. Posts: 9,000 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 100% Longevity: 27%	Hell no. I have maybe 100 extra at the end of the month, and that goes to my dinner at work and the rest is saved up for my yearly car insurence payment. __________________ Wifey to Jennay&Toridactyl. Sugah Daddeh to Willow. Competition to Kaylin facebook.twitter i make siggies

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09-05-2009, 08:41 PM	#2 (permalink)
BJo Account Closed Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Your mom Posts: 25,363 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 13% Longevity: 39%	When I graduated college and was working for an employer that did not pay for benefits, there was absolutely no way I could afford health insurance. It would have swallowed 90% of one of my paychecks. At this moment, I still could not afford health insurance unless the company I worked for offered it.

09-05-2009, 08:44 PM	#6 (permalink)
miamoa2002 MilitarySOS Jewel Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 3,078 Classifieds: (2) Activity: 41% Longevity: 21%	Come up with $300, absolutely. If we wouldn't have tricare my job has excellent healthcare too for $150 per month for families.

09-05-2009, 08:45 PM	#7 (permalink)
BJo Account Closed Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Your mom Posts: 25,363 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 13% Longevity: 39%	I'm an idiot and just saw the premium you stated. No, I could not afford that. When I looked for health insurance back in '06 it was almost $1,000/month for a decent plan.

09-05-2009, 08:46 PM	#8 (permalink)
littlebird this bird can't sing when you've tied her wings Join Date: May 2009 Location: Me: Wyoming Posts: 2,600 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 60% Longevity: 9%	No. As a graduate student, I make roughly $11,000 a year. And I'm not independently wealthy. So hell no could I afford it. __________________ C-3PO: "Sir, the possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately 3,720 to 1!" Han Solo: "Never tell me the odds." Not fooled by the media.

09-05-2009, 08:46 PM	#9 (permalink)
TheBryTree Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: here and there Posts: 23,019 Blog Entries: 1 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 83% Longevity: 37%	We could but we'd have to cut down our cable and phone plans and/or cutting back on how much we save per month. We'd have to cut back on eating out as much (our main splurge - we love to eat out) but we could pay for it if we had to. We wouldn't be owning the house if we had to pay for it all along! ETA: If we had to go to the doctor a lot or something, we wouldn't be able to afford it. Currently, we never use health care except for Molly's well baby visits.

09-05-2009, 08:47 PM	#10 (permalink)
LoveKiss Dream as if you'll live forever; live as if you'll die today Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Maryland Posts: 8,942 Blog Entries: 11 Classifieds: (1) Activity: 71% Longevity: 28%	I currently pay the employee share of my health insurance, plus co-pays and premiums for certain scrips. It's necessary, and I make it happen. FWIW, I'm the only income source in this family since I am a single parent and my ex does not pay child support. __________________ MSOS wifey love makes the world go round.