Something to be investigated-- Health care Rebate checks not going to who they should.

[Justice wanted]

This issue was brought up in another thread by Curmudgeoness My hubby co-pay for his insurance so that money is deducted from his pay check every paycheck. Every Job I have worked at The same situation was set up where X amount of dollars was taken from my Paycheck to go to the cost of the insurance basically the employer wasn't paying all of it.

Now Insurance companies are suppose to send out Rebate checks if insurance companies didn't spend the money the right way.

BUT think about this. Who's going to get rob? IF rebate checks are suppose to be sent out to say you or my husband because we pay into our insurance BUT if check is sent to ONLY the employer what's to stop the employer from keeping all that money and not giving your fair share?

Will anyone investigate this issue?

[tammywammy]

1. The rebate checks can be kept by the employer

Many who buy coverage directly from insurers, like Ms. Harkenreader and other self-employed people, are receiving checks. But in most cases rebates are being sent to employers, who can chose to put them toward future premium costs instead of distributing them to workers.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/31/health/policy/insurance-rebates-seen-as-early-benefit-of-health-care-law.html?pagewanted=all

[Justice wanted]

3. In other words people are getting robbed. My husband who is pay for his coverage through employer

deduction is seeing his share for next yet being raised.

[ananda]

2. Well, exactly.

I haven't received a cent, and I do pay a sizeable percentage
of the premium.

[Justice wanted]

4. You employer takes it out of your pay check right? We need TYT or Rachel or Lawrence or

even Palast looking into this.

[tammywammy]

6. They don't need to look into it at all

It's clear the companies can keep the rebates - if they got them - and put it toward future premiums OR they can give it back to employees. In a lot of cases the employer paid more toward the premium than the employee. For instance, my premium is approximately $5500/year, I pay only $783 of that. Why should I get the rebate back when my employer is paying a lot more.

[Justice wanted]

8. And those companies that get a rebate check and keep it and STILL raise rates for the employees what

should happen.


My husband- IF HE WANTS TO KEEP HIS INSURANCE- would have to pay $300 a pay check for his insurance instead of $150 that he is now paying

sounds to me like it isn't going to help my husband.

[drm604]

10. Ethically, the rebate should be divided proportionately.

If you pay 25% of the premium, then you should get 25% of the rebate.

Unfortunately, that apparently is not how the law was written.

[elleng]

5. No one is getting robbed.

If employers pay a portion of the premium, they may keep the rebate. The rebate is to encourage insurance companies to provide SERVICES, and not spend the premiums we and our employers pay on advertising and inefficient management costs. The services we all receive should improve.

[Justice wanted]

7. BUT what about those EMPLOYEES who pay a portion of the Premiums Like my husband and half

of my friends who are employed by companies that offer insurance BUT they have to pay a portion of that money. My husband just found out that the $150 he pays per paycheck for HIS insurance not him and me just for him will now go up to $300 a pay check. He makes 520 a pay.


Why shouldn't the employer have to give my husband a portion of the rebate back
?


IF the employer gets a rebate back from an insurance company because they charge him and the employee $300 dollars and employer makes employee pay half there is something wrong.

[elleng]

9. The rebate is for premiums paid in the past.

It is hoped that insurance companies will improve their services and stop wasting premium money in the future, and will spend 80% of premiums on services, and not less than that.

Employers have the option to credit the rebates to future premiums.

Do you know what percent of the total premium your husband paid? Do you know that his empoyer has received, or will receive, a rebate? Not everyone has.

If your husband's premium increases that much, his coverage should improve. If it doesn't improve, your husband and his co-workers/union should discuss this with the employer.

[indie9197]

11. I got my rebate check... it was so small I kept forgetting to deposit it ($19.98)

I pay my own insurance (just me) and pay $135/month for fairly basic coverage to Humana. I haven't filed a claim in the year that I've had it.