Whole Foods is a model? Only Tenderloin would think high deductible plans actually work, especially for low-wage workers. It's essentially the same as being uninsured.
"For example, ALL Whole Foods Employees while receiving healthcare
coverage for free after 6 months of work (at full time status) still
have astronomical deductibles and co-pays.
1) General Medical Deductible for 2009 = $1,300.00! That means that
you, minimum wage earning worker, must pay $1,300 of your own money
before you get any coverage applied for medical services. After that
for in network visits, the coverage rate is 20/80, up to a maximum of
$4,600 out of pocket for the year. This means that if you get charged
$10,000 for a special hospital test (which has happened to me), you are
still liable for... $2,000!
Employees bear a terrible responsibility regarding cost of healthcare
even with WFM's PPO plan.
2) Prescription Deductible for 2009 = $650! Again, you have to pay at
least $650 before you receive any prescription drug coverage. Beyond
that, you then have a calendar year maximum deductible of $1,300. So
after you've spent that first $650, even if you're medications are now
at 20/80, you'll still pay another $650 if you have prescriptions
costing in the thousands (and frankly, most of the new drug formularies
are incredibly expensive). FYI, the Prescription deductible/maximum out
of pocket is not included in the calculations for the general health
coverage.
3) No mental health coverage. If you have anything (from ADD to
bi-polar to schizophrenia) - anything with a mental health coding
designation - you are immediately disqualified from coverage for that
diagnosis and the WFM PPO plan will not cover you for any treatments,
evaluations, tests, etc.
In my case this year alone (as I still have the WFM PPO plan through
COBRA as it is vitally necessary for my continued well-being - i.e. I
don't have an option of not having health care), not only have I been
forced to pay medical premiums that amount to nearly 500-600 per month,
I've also shelled out about $6000 that i don't really have and could
have used for other things.
And this is what we call a good system?
Please, it's time for people to wake up, get the facts and realize
that there is way more going on here than "health insurance," there are
dozens and dozens of hidden systems of charges from high deductibles to
percentage co-pay systems (so rather than having say a $15 or $20
co-pay, you have a percent copay that can really kill you when you're
facing bills in the tens of thousands of dollars). It's a clever lie
that insurance companies and corporations present to the public, saying
- here's this great system in which we cover 100% of our employees!
What they're not saying is that system has massive hidden charges
that routinely threaten and undermine the financial stability and
ultimately well being of the employees."
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This Is Not Trolling!
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