Retiree medical benefits

[Cardinal]

There's moral issues involved plain and simple. Dems need to become more consersative with some issues.

I agree people in Ohio have gotten a raw deal. I recently read a book titled Flatlined it was writtened by a neurosurgeon from Texas. The book mentioned the amount of people that were under insured. With my pension and what TCN would pay I pray every night I never get sick .

[OldFordJim]

Ok, I'm a retiree from Michigan. I find it unfortunate that you people in other states don't get to have some of the choices we have in Michigan. What I mean is, it seems that all you folks have is what used to be called Traditional care and some sort of PPO. Myself, I subscribe to Blue Care Network, an HMO. With that, I pay $10 copay for office visits and my 'scrips went up to $25 for a mail order style for generics, $50 for brand names, for a 90 day supply. I don't go through Medco, I just go to my local pharmacy that I've been going to for years. A great many of them will allow you to get your meds mail order style without the mail order. And mine, even goes a little further. If I get a generic, they give me a further discount of a few dollars to help save me some money. Everything else seems to be pretty much covered. I had read before about what Ford retirees in other states had for health insurance choices and couldn't believe it. I would like to know why you people can't have the choice of getting an HMO like we can here. Of course, some don't like HMO's because of that silly referral stuff and the fact that you can't go to any doctor you want at anytime or even hospital. I like my doctor but, I don't like the hospital she's affiliated with but, I'm willing to live with it because she takes very good care of me and my wife. But, I don't think it's the unions fault that you have poor choices for who you want your coverage with. I do think, though, that maybe the union should have worked more together with Ford to make sure we all had the same choices for our coverage.

 

You guys should've been able to choose between traditional, ppo or, hmo no matter where you live. Now there must be hmo's available in Ohio as there are in Michigan and if so, then you all should have the choice to go with them and not be limited with what you have now. Believe me, if I only had what you guys have, I would be pissed, too.

[tbldbxorntnap]

do i think the current healtcare sucks ................yes I'm a retirre here in VA. from the closed norfolk plant,we had a hmo here through cigna and as bad as would like to bitch and moan about them , i'd just about sell my soul to get them back[just kidding]with them we had $25 co-pay and yes we would have to get referrals to see other docs but unlike my present healthcare situation through the bcbs tcn i see more out pocket expense eating up my ret. pension and as a diabetic i worry about pre-existing conditions will they make me pay for tests they say i can only have once a year , i mean physcials are out down here no more pre checking , it just seems they could have done a little better.

[molder]

Ok, I'm a retiree from Michigan. I find it unfortunate that you people in other states don't get to have some of the choices we have in Michigan. What I mean is, it seems that all you folks have is what used to be called Traditional care and some sort of PPO. Myself, I subscribe to Blue Care Network, an HMO. With that, I pay $10 copay for office visits and my 'scrips went up to $25 for a mail order style for generics, $50 for brand names, for a 90 day supply. I don't go through Medco, I just go to my local pharmacy that I've been going to for years. A great many of them will allow you to get your meds mail order style without the mail order. And mine, even goes a little further. If I get a generic, they give me a further discount of a few dollars to help save me some money. Everything else seems to be pretty much covered. I had read before about what Ford retirees in other states had for health insurance choices and couldn't believe it. I would like to know why you people can't have the choice of getting an HMO like we can here. Of course, some don't like HMO's because of that silly referral stuff and the fact that you can't go to any doctor you want at anytime or even hospital. I like my doctor but, I don't like the hospital she's affiliated with but, I'm willing to live with it because she takes very good care of me and my wife. But, I don't think it's the unions fault that you have poor choices for who you want your coverage with. I do think, though, that maybe the union should have worked more together with Ford to make sure we all had the same choices for our coverage.

 

You guys should've been able to choose between traditional, ppo or, hmo no matter where you live. Now there must be hmo's available in Ohio as there are in Michigan and if so, then you all should have the choice to go with them and not be limited with what you have now. Believe me, if I only had what you guys have, I would be pissed, too.

 

 

 

I am from Ohio and I had Anthem Hmo which was very good. The union never offered us one with the new Verba.

[rn4]

I am from Ohio and I had Anthem Hmo which was very good. The union never offered us one with the new Verba.

 

 

Same in St.Louis, had Anthem Blue Choice but it wasn't offered when the VEBA took over. They sent a letter said coverage wouldn't change, 2 paragraphs later here all the all the "minor" changes. All the talk about how preventive care keeps cost down, does't register with BCBS TCN.

[Cardinal]

/Can anyone tell me how our $340 annual out of pocket costs work? What is and what is not deductible?

Edited May 30, 2010 by Cardinal

[rn4]

/Can anyone tell me how our $340 annual out of pocket costs work? What is and what is not deductible?

 

 

That's another tough one to figure out somethings count amd some don't towards the out of pocket costs. Doctors office visits for example don't count.

[forddaughter]

Sorry to the men here

 

The insurance company denied my female yearly exam lab tests. The hospital said it's because the Dr. submitted it as a "routine exam" and it should be submitted as a Pap Smear. Sounds like a matter of wrong coding being sent. Our local insurance rep. is going to look into why so many of us are having problems with some things not getting paid.

[uawxlt]

Sorry to the men here

 

The insurance company denied my female yearly exam lab tests. The hospital said it's because the Dr. submitted it as a "routine exam" and it should be submitted as a Pap Smear. Sounds like a matter of wrong coding being sent. Our local insurance rep. is going to look into why so many of us are having problems with some things not getting paid.

yeah don't worry about it one day soon nothing other than catostrophic things will be covered ie the good ole hospitalazation with deductables and stop losses "no office visits covered"

Ron done a good job at moving us back to the 1960's

this is why he wanted obama care so bad save face move all of us to the goverment cheese line..... UAW saves our medical coverage

now i here Ron is going to run for congress

[molder]

Sorry to the men here

 

The insurance company denied my female yearly exam lab tests. The hospital said it's because the Dr. submitted it as a "routine exam" and it should be submitted as a Pap Smear. Sounds like a matter of wrong coding being sent. Our local insurance rep. is going to look into why so many of us are having problems with some things not getting paid.

 

Whom do you refer to when you say your local insurance rep ?

[forddaughter]

Whom do you refer to when you say your local insurance rep ?

 

 

The guy at Sandusky's Plant that oversees the retiree insurance. His name is Chris.

[400member]

Thanks Stugots I always thought before retiring that active employees should do whatever it took to take care of retirees. Unfortunately many junior employees thought differently.

 

Ya'll better read this case dealing with the Veba limitations and how retirees at Detroit Diesel got screwed. http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data2/circs/6th/091252p.pdf?DCMP=NWL-pro_6th Wood vs. Detroit Diesel Case NO 09-1252

 

Bob King wasin charge at this time and look what happened!!

[molder]

The guy at Sandusky's Plant that oversees the retiree insurance. His name is Chris.

 

 

Thank you for the info. My local in Brook Park is really hard to get any info from as they are only part time there now.

[forddaughter]

Thank you for the info. My local in Brook Park is really hard to get any info from as they are only part time there now.

 

 

Chris is very hard to get a hold of too. He only works part time also.

[tbldbxorntnap]

Chris is very hard to get a hold of too. He only works part time also.

Hey at least you have some one to look after Y'll not like me or anybody else from a closed plant.

[jshep]

I would like to know as well, as a retiree out of VA. it seems I'm paying more out of pocket than i did before.

 

 

You got that right, Joe.....When I was working I had one insurance provider(Cigna) and never had ro pay anything ....Now I've got 2(Medicare and BC/BS) and I'm getting bills right and left that these 2 don't pay........I think I liked it better when Ford provided our insurance than now whan the UAW does...................BTW, how and what are you doing, Joe..............

[OldFordJim]

My wifes sister and her husband are up here from Florida and he's retired out of Sheldon Rd and he said that before VEBA, he had a choice of BC/BS and an HMO from Humana. After VEBA went into effect, the only choice they had was the plan most like traditional BC/BS, whic he says is total crap. And down there, he gets no info about anything. If he goes to a union meeting down there, it's a combination of Ford, GM and, Chrysler retirees. He's been asking me all kinds of questions about SS, pensions, Medicaire and whatever else he can think of. I asked him if he had the retirees handbook that was mailed out after the last contract and he said he never got one. I think while he's up here, he's going to Sheldon Rd local to get some answers about things.

[forddaughter]

Any TCN females on here? I finally paid the whole bill for my yearly exam. $145 for office visit and $117 for the lab part. Have you had to pay the whole thing?

[longball]

Any TCN females on here? I finally paid the whole bill for my yearly exam. $145 for office visit and $117 for the lab part. Have you had to pay the whole thing?

 

My wife went recently and we were billed for the visit, but her pap was paid for....she had another test that wasn't paid

[krazykim]

We have been told that retirees in Michigan have better insurance than Ohio retirees...if Ford Motor Company pulled this kind of crap the Union would be all over it saying everyone should be treated the same...but the UAW pulls this crap...it is July and I haven't got one bill paid by the insurance co. and I don't have Medicaid to help me because I am too young...our local actually told us that the union didn't bargain for people w/o medicaid...WHAT!!! I am going to have to go find a p/t job to pay my medical bills...that is not what I envisioned when I retired...my own union sticking it to me. We have brought this to Marcy Kaptur's attention and her office actually called back and is looking into it.

 

Personally I think a Class Action lawsuit should be filed against the Union.

 

And yes the older retirees ARE NOT happy w/their insurance either...even w/Medicaid they have to pay alot of out of pocket expenses that they didn't have to b4.

 

I know alot of retirees that are not going to Dr.'s appt., not taking their medications because they can't afford them, not going to therapy...etc. it is a damn shame that our own union is putting it to us like this.

 

And I am paying $60.00 a month, not 30...who is paying 30??

 

This is not equality...the UAW has let the retirees down...when Ford Motor Co. was taking care of my insurance they did what they promised when I retired...everyone said the Union would screw this up and it did.

 

There must be something we can do...there is power in numbers...

[forddaughter]

Dad got turned into a collection agency because noone knows what is going on! He goes to a different Dr. and hospital than me. UGGH!

 

My doctor had to tell the billing Dept. not to turn me into a collection agency.

Edited July 19, 2010 by forddaughter

[molder]

We have been told that retirees in Michigan have better insurance than Ohio retirees...if Ford Motor Company pulled this kind of crap the Union would be all over it saying everyone should be treated the same...but the UAW pulls this crap...it is July and I haven't got one bill paid by the insurance co. and I don't have Medicaid to help me because I am too young...our local actually told us that the union didn't bargain for people w/o medicaid...WHAT!!! I am going to have to go find a p/t job to pay my medical bills...that is not what I envisioned when I retired...my own union sticking it to me. We have brought this to Marcy Kaptur's attention and her office actually called back and is looking into it.

 

Personally I think a Class Action lawsuit should be filed against the Union.

 

And yes the older retirees ARE NOT happy w/their insurance either...even w/Medicaid they have to pay alot of out of pocket expenses that they didn't have to b4.

 

I know alot of retirees that are not going to Dr.'s appt., not taking their medications because they can't afford them, not going to therapy...etc. it is a damn shame that our own union is putting it to us like this.

 

And I am paying $60.00 a month, not 30...who is paying 30??

 

This is not equality...the UAW has let the retirees down...when Ford Motor Co. was taking care of my insurance they did what they promised when I retired...everyone said the Union would screw this up and it did.

 

There must be something we can do...there is power in numbers...

 

 

Well I totally agree with you about us retirees in Ohio and else where getting screwed. I have accumalated over 5,000.00 in doctors bill so far and my insurance Medical Mutual of Ohio ( TCN ) has only agreed to pay around 200.00 dollars. It hardly seems like it is medical insurance at all.

My doctors office has agrreed to let me make payments so far. The insurance company has negotiated insurance adjustments with the doctors but actual medical payments are very rare. I do only pay 30.00 dollars a month though. I would rather pay more a month and have insurance that acutally pays for something. I have heard that Ohio locals have really raised their concerns about this current situation. I can only hope that the current situation is improved upon.

[molder]

Dad got turned into a collection agency because noone knows what is going on! He goes to a different Dr. and hospital than me. UGGH!

 

My doctor had to tell the billing Dept. not to turn me into a collection agency.

 

 

 

I am sorry to hear about that. Our current situation is a disgrace.

[MLSAFOSS]

Gettelfinger was right when he said the VEBA would last 80 years. It should last forever because they dont pay for anything. What a disgrace the way our own union lied to us about VEBA and are now sticking it to us retirees. Here in Ohio where I live Blue Cross doesnt pay for squat. Its almost like I/We dont even have health insurance. I dont even know why I pay $30 a month out of my pension check every month. Probably covers their cost to send me a statement saying they are paying NOTHING again. The union should never have agreed to take over the retirees health care if they couldnt provide the same or even close to the same coverage. What we have now is NOTHING

[Len_A]

We have been told that retirees in Michigan have better insurance than Ohio retirees...if Ford Motor Company pulled this kind of crap the Union would be all over it saying everyone should be treated the same...but the UAW pulls this crap...it is July and I haven't got one bill paid by the insurance co. and I don't have Medicaid to help me because I am too young...our local actually told us that the union didn't bargain for people w/o medicaid...WHAT!!! I am going to have to go find a p/t job to pay my medical bills...that is not what I envisioned when I retired...my own union sticking it to me. We have brought this to Marcy Kaptur's attention and her office actually called back and is looking into it.

 

Personally I think a Class Action lawsuit should be filed against the Union.

 

And yes the older retirees ARE NOT happy w/their insurance either...even w/Medicaid they have to pay alot of out of pocket expenses that they didn't have to b4.

 

I know alot of retirees that are not going to Dr.'s appt., not taking their medications because they can't afford them, not going to therapy...etc. it is a damn shame that our own union is putting it to us like this.

 

And I am paying $60.00 a month, not 30...who is paying 30??

 

This is not equality...the UAW has let the retirees down...when Ford Motor Co. was taking care of my insurance they did what they promised when I retired...everyone said the Union would screw this up and it did.

 

There must be something we can do...there is power in numbers...

I wasn't going to stick my 2cents in, but....

 

Part of what seems to be going on is that Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Michigan is chartered as a nonprofit. State bailed them out when they went bankrupt in the 1970's, as a condition of the bailout of BC-BS of MI is that must take everybody and anybody that applies and they must be chartered as a nonprofit institution (sort of Michigan's public option). All rate increases are subject to state approval, with the Attorney General, be they Democrat or Republican, holding a very, very hard line on rate increases. Like BC-BS of MI wants 20% and they only get 5%, and I'm not kidding either.

 

As a result, with every other health insurance company competing against Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Michigan, health insurance premiums in Michigan are less than they would be else where in the USA.

 

I used Sam's Club's business services section (Link Here then under Extend Health, you see a link "website", then the next page "Find the Right Coverage For You), and then "shopped" for health insurance by zip code, starting with 48121, Ford World Headquarter's Dearborn , MI zip code.

 

 

Used myself, a 50 year old male and my wife a 49 year old female, non-smokers.

 

BC-BS of MI, Flexible Blue II 1500, $3000 deductible, 20% coinsurance, $8000 max out of pocket - $739.29 per month

 

Humana's Portrait Share 80/1000 Plus Rx & Unlimited Doctor Visit Copay, in Michigan, has $1000 deductible, $4000 max annual out of pocket, for $757.90 per month.

 

Atnea PPO 1500 has $1500 deductible, 20% coinsurance and ZERO annual out of pocket. $695.00 per month in Michigan

 

 

Changing the zip code to 44101, Cleveland, I ran the same search.

 

Anthem Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Ohio won't even offer a policy like BC-BS-MI - closest, @ about $400 a month premium has only a $500 deductible, BUT 50% copay and $8000 annual out of pocket limit.

 

 

Humana's Portrait Share 80/1000 Plus Rx & Unlimited Doctor Visit Copay, in Ohio, jumps to $939.41 per month for the same policy that runs nearly $200 a month less in Michigan.

 

Atnea PPO 1500 in Ohio is not the same plan as in Michigan. It costs only $651.00 a month BUT in addition to the $1500 deductible, 20% coinsurance, the max annual out of pocket jumps from $0 to $6000, a very big difference.

 

You can play with it for other states, but it ends up coming out the same - the same amount of money spent per month, per person, in Michigan buys more health insurance than it does in any other state, only because BC-BS of MI is chartered as a nonprofit and every other insurance company has to drop their rates to compete or leave the state of Michigan.

 

The problem that retirees like my parents are having, and this affects my parents ability to relocate from Michigan if they want to, is the way the VEBA, as a Voluntary Employee Benefits Association was chartered, or maybe (and I don't this for any fact) allowed to be chartered. As I understand it, the VEBA "guarantees" that they spend X number of dollars per month, per retiree. Not guaranteeing the same coverage per month,per retiree, but that they spend the same per month, per retiree. If that's the case, then the coverage you have in Ohio, in Indiana, etc, verses the coverage in Michigan, is strictly because of the way that insurance competes in Michgan verses the rest of the country, and that's out of the UAW's hands.

 

I may be wrong, but probably not, but that probably makes a class action lawsuit impossible.

 

I can also tell you, that verses the retiree coverage my Mom & Dad had, in Michigan, pre-VEBA, verse under the VEBA, has deteriorated. Their copays on prescriptions shot up by double or triple, although I don't have the number in front of me, and one of my Mom's prescriptions, Protonix - an acid reflux medicine - is no longer covered at all - $450 for a three month supply, out of pocket, because the VEBA told her, she can get Priolsec over the counter. Problem is Prilosec doesn't work on her, and she can't take the generic form of Protonix or another medication because she gets bad side effects. Plus their copays on doctors visits are higher than they used to be, etc.

 

Michigan retirees coverage has changed as well, but no where near as bad as non-Michigan residents. That said, it's because of the way the VEBA is chartered (you're going to have to speak to an attorney who is very knowledgeable about that for more explanations) and because of the competitive situation in Michigan withe BC-BS of MI being a nonprofit.