How much should Federal Employees pay for their health insurance?

[CreekDog]

as a percentage of total cost?

(also please indicate if your employer provides yours and what percentage of the total premium you pay)

[Xipe Totec]

1. I got news for you, employers do not 'provide' insurance - that's your money they're using

You just don't get a say in the matter.

It's funny that we don't want government to spend our money for us, but we're perfectly happy letting corporations do the same.

[demosincebirth]

2. What ever they're able to negotiate...if they belong to a union.

[CreekDog]

3. benefits are set by congress and the president --they don't get to negotiate them

this despite the fact that they have unions representing them.

[demosincebirth]

9. Then, who are we to say how much someone in civil service should be compensated

[Drahthaardogs]

4. It really depends

The feds have lots of insurance options that vary by region and state. HMO and PPOs as well as high programs and low programs. All in all, its probably on average a 40/60 split or there abouts.

[elleng]

5. Right. Thanks for the facts.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

6. Thanks for this. People also forget that we federal employees DO have the public option.

What is being described in this thread *IS* the public option.

People also forget that members of Congress, their staff, and their families also enjoy the public option.

Member of Congress *ARE* also federal employees!!

[Telly Savalas]

7. Huh? FEHBP is administered by private insurers.

It's not a public option.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

19. Yes! We are on an exchange where we can choose public

or private insurance companies. That is exactly what we and members of Congress have!

[boppers]

8. Depends on personal? Family? etc.

I'm pretty much in favor of employers taking care of the whole baseline (100%) of minimal for an employee, but if somebody gets married and has 5 kids, and a single person doesn't also get the same economic contribution... hm.

Something to think about, especially with different people wanting vastly different choices in service (some would rather have the money and a high-deductable plan, others want dental/eyecare/chiropractic/therapy/massage).

I pay nothing for insurance, as I haven't been able to afford it since I was 18, as I'm "pre-existing", and it's cheaper for me to go without.... in the last 21 years, I went to the ER once. Cost $6,000 (2 hours of bed, blood oxygen monitoring, oxygen mask, 2 X-rays, a prescription....$6,000).

So, until there's a plan that costs me only 24 bucks a month, that's just money in the hands of the insurers.

[ieoeja]

10. They should pay 0%.

It should come out of ours, theirs and everybody else's taxes. As should everybody else's health care.

But as long as we insist on enriching middle men who provide no service related to our health care whatsoever while insisting this somehow makes health care better without even citing a theory as to how this could possibly improve health care then I would say ... 0%. It's part of their pay for working for the taxpayer particularly since so many gov't workers live and work near state and the nation's capitols where costs are high and their pay is less than the typical professional doing that type of job.

And to your second question, I pay a very small percentage of my health insurance. I have a very good employer.

[ileus]

11. 25%

[CreekDog]

24. you want them to pay less than they pay now?

:shrug:

[southernyankeebelle]

12. Health insurance and life insurance came out of my pocket when I was civil service. We don't pay

into social security because we have our own pension play. Of course that is when I was civil service back in 80s. When I went back you paid into social security to I think I did. It was a long time ago.

We pay like everyoneelse does.

I don't think politicans should get any pension unless like a military service person they are in over 20 yrs.

[fittosurvive]

13. 50% is the standard...

[CreekDog]

23. what companies?

:hi:

[JoePhilly]

14. The first question to ask is what % members of CONGRESS pay.

Let's start there.

[bigdarryl]

15. Federal Employees pay 30% toward the cost of there health care

this is what dough nut boy in NJ is trying to model his proposal after for NJ State workers. It ain't CHEAP!!

[JVS]

16. There should be single payer.

[golfguru]

17. I am paying 25%

Federals should pay same as AVERAGE of all private plans.

[CreekDog]

22. you're paying less than federal employees, they pay 28% or more

:hi:

[golfguru]

25. That is good!

:D

[Rosa Luxemburg]

18. A single payer system is needed ASAP

[quiller4]

20. Most federal employees pay between 25-30% currently

I do not believe it should be raised.

[underpants]

21. I can tell you that for some drugs their co-pay is a flat $65

and these are drugs in the area of $6,000

[Armstead]

26. We should have universal health insurance in which everyone pays based on their income

that is the only way that and all of the issues in health coverage can be dealt with.

[quaker bill]

27. Nothing

anyway you slice it, it is all taxpayers dollars. People have fallen in love with busting these dollars up into little piles believing that one flavor of money is different than another. It isn't, it is all taxpayer greenbacks, one identical to the next, except for the serial number.

Deducting some dollars from the paycheck to "pay" for health insurance is precisely the same as an across the board pay cut. There is exactly no difference. So just be honest, either call for a pay cut or don't.

[Macoy51]

28. 37%

I pay 37% of my Fed Health insureance.

Macoy