Any one of us still employed and has employer based health benefits already know this to be true.
What follows is the latest impact that I see with my own health coverage through my employer.
Our newest coverage began this July 1st, 2013. It raised our pay period withholding a bit, around $10 to $20. Not too bad, right? Well, what the brochures we were given prior to signing up didn’t bother to show the changes and total impact to our out-of-pocket costs for any and all prescription costs.
Bottom line, prior to July 1st with coverage under BCBS Anthem and Express Scripts online pharmacy, my average 90 day total coverage for 12 prescriptions came to a total close to $286.
Now that we are in a new contract with BCBS Anthem but with CVS Caremark online pharmacy, my average 90 total coverage jumps to $607.
Out of the 12 prescriptions, only four are the heavy hitters. Insulin went from $129 to $339.The needles went from $5 to … $38. The other two went from $40 each to $87 and $101.
My message here is to those thinking Obamacare hasn’t hit yet, well, I have news for you. It has been getting more pronounced in our costs for the past few years to now – and the full effect hasn’t even switched on yet.
The costs I mention above are only starting to impact those of us with employer based health coverage. And most of the employees may not be noticing the impact quite yet due to the recent contracts just now taking effect.
Now, add in this mix where other smaller companies are clearly trying to minimize their costs by: shifting full time employees to part time (under 30 hours as defined by the ACA), dropping spousal coverage (UPS just recently to the tune of ten to 15 thousand people), closing their businesses.
In short, Obamacare is decimating employment, productivity, take home pay, ability to pay monthly bills and quality healthcare. Oh, did I forget to mention doctors that are – no longer accepting Medicare patients and those retiring and about to retire? And what about those students no longer finding the healthcare industry to be an attractive future? Not to mention their rising tuition costs – and even if they can continue and complete their education? Even if they stay and live with their parents? And how can their parents afford to keep them as dependents?
This is just the tip of the Titanic’s Iceberg, folks. And the ACA hasn’t and won’t be in full force starting in 2014 due to Obama delaying portions of the law (for whose benefit?). And that – is being questioned mightily about the legality of his decision – since it is only the job of Congress to enact & change legislation. It is NOT the job of the Executive branch. (Expect to hear more of that soon.)
As a sidenote, but just as related, illegals have been protesting for the right to get free organ transplants. Now, if you were a doctor in a hospital, would you do all of your work without getting paid? How could you continue to live, eat, work and……?
Still think this was a good law? Then you need to seriously rethink that position.
And fast.
Daniel McAndrew 