Camden Commentary: See added information on post on county employee health premiums, below.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

See added information on post on county employee health premiums, below.

http://camdencommentary.blogspot.com/2009/10/county-employee-health-premium-issue.html

23 comments:

Anonymous said...: I would be in favor of the increase if we still had the old plan. The new plan under "the Principal" is terrible. In two words, it sucks. My doctor takes it only so those of us who see him and work for the county can continue to see him. He is not taking new patients who have this plan. We are also told where we must go to get our meds filled. It's either CVC or full price someplace else. It really sucks, and that is just the beginning.; October 23, 2009 at 8:29 AM
Jay Moreno said...: Could you be a little more specific than "it really sucks?"

Is going to CVC (by which I think you meant CVS) to get the plan's discount on drugs really that onerous? We do have two in the county - and soon to be two new ones at that, complete with drive thru service. And that "sucks?"; October 23, 2009 at 12:17 PM
Anonymous said...: I would like to know how much you pay for something that sucks? I pay over $600 per month for a policy with a spouse and teenaged son with a $3,500 deductable, have not made a claim in over 5 years. My rates just went up in Oct to $750 a month. Now that sucks. I would like to think that the county employee feel blessed that they have what they have, than to bitch and complain about having to go to the drive-thru at CVS.

Anon #23; October 23, 2009 at 3:29 PM
Jay Moreno said...: Thanks for that question. I've just added the last proposed increases. Check 'em out.; October 23, 2009 at 5:05 PM
Jay Moreno said...: i just finished converting the premiums for an employee covering his whole family with everything available from bi-weekly to monthly premiums. Currently, that EE is paying only $87.36 per month for full coverage. The propsed increase would double that to $174.72 - still one helluva deal!; October 23, 2009 at 5:12 PM
Anonymous said...: Thanks for the answer. If anyone with FULL FAMILY for $160 a month is going to complain, I said let them go out a pay for there own policy. Disgusting attitude of the people whose salaries WE pay. I am sure Sandy will be protesting for the little guy on this one.

Anon #23; October 23, 2009 at 5:16 PM
Jay Moreno said...: Oh, and by the way,the way this plan is set up, the employees pay their share with pre-tax dollars!; October 23, 2009 at 5:24 PM
Anonymous said...: Hey Jay, Lets see a break down of what you pay. After all, it is paid for by us, the taxpayers. OOOOPPPPPPssss. I forgot, the feds don't count. Give it a rest, Y O U will never be elected. Keep giving you reveiws for that hog slop at Aunt Bs and be happy.; October 23, 2009 at 10:41 PM
Jay Moreno said...: Well,I'm glad you brought that up. Beleive it or not, I actually pay MORE for my Medcare insurance that a county employee currently pays for full coverage on a large family.

Not that I gave it any thought, but nowe that you mention it, there are a helluva lot more voters in District 4 who DO NOT work for the county than do. Trust me - the vast amjority of readers are in agreement with me on this one.

I'm sorry that you can't afford to eat at Aunt B's, but that's no reason to tell vicious lies about their excellent food. Have you considered more education?; October 24, 2009 at 8:43 AM
Anonymous said...: Please get your facts straight before you post Jay. The employee health insurance costs are not "pre-tax". Feel free to confirm this with Mr. Howard.; October 24, 2009 at 10:17 AM
Jay Moreno said...: No, Sir or madam, it is you who do not have your facts straight. Here is an e-mail to me from Staci Bowick dated August 4th of this year.

Hi Mr. Moreno,

Mike Fender said that you were asking about the insurance premiums for commissioners. We don't have a separate premium schedule for elected officials versus employees. Elected officials are paid once a month and insurance premiums are deducted from the monthly salary pre-tax. The premium for single coverage for medical, rx, dental, and vision coverage is $65.70/month.

If you need anything else or further clarification on anything please don't hesitate to call on me.

So, you see, ththe EE premuims are ore-tax. Just in case you don't actually understnad what theat means, let me explain. Thjat money never shows up on your W-2. It is not reported to either the IRS or the state. Therefore, it is not subjuect to taxes, making it a pre-tax contribution.

Perhaps you might want to try sandpapering that rabid wildcat's ass. Perhaps you could handle that more easily than challenging me.; October 24, 2009 at 10:43 AM
Jay Moreno said...: Oh, and did I mention I was an insurance agent for over 20 year? You're way out of your league talking insurance with me.; October 24, 2009 at 10:44 AM
Anonymous said...: I am so sick of people talking about My salary that THEY pay. I am a tax payer and so is my wife and child. So I also pay MY salary as does My wife and child.

To Serve and Protect Does NOT Mean To Kiss Your Ass!!!!!!!; October 24, 2009 at 10:52 AM
Jay Moreno said...: So, to recap, the county employee health plan "sucks," having to go to CVS for the maximum plan discount on prescriptions is too onerous; and, last but not least, being asked to pay your fair share of the premium is tantamount to being forced to kiss the asses of your ultimate employers, the taxpayers. Is that about it, or is there more?; October 24, 2009 at 11:15 AM
Anonymous said...: I can't imagine why we are paying for health insurance for the Commissioners. They are not County Employees they are elected officials. Rainer is retired from the School System and surely has State Insurance. Keene is employed at a bank and probably already has insurance through his job, Charlene's husband works for the County and should have family coverage for them. Berry is rich enough to provide his own insurance. Don't know about Zell? I say drop them from coverage. Its amazing that these Commissioners are looking for a way to cut cost but never look at themselves as a way to reduce the General Governments budget. I'm not against raising employees cost for insurance. If our County Commissioners in the past and present had been smart enough to look ahead, they could have been increasing the cost to the employee's yearly rather than all at once. Many of the "underlings" working for the county have not had a cost of living raise in years and that is the real reason they are disgruntled about raising the insurance cost. The lousy job that the Commissioners continue to do is amazing. They should cut their own monthly wages because of the job they do, they are grossly overpaid. Are these people just running for that office to get extra insurance coverage? Commissioners are just like our Senate and Congress, if they want something they just vote and get it because they are making the rules. Corruption continues to flow from the top to the bottom. No matter what you or I say, it will change nothing. Only the people who vote can change this and until they get smart enough or mad enough to get out there and cast their vote nothing will change.; October 24, 2009 at 11:36 AM
Anonymous said...: Try again Mr. Moreno, the commissioners insurance(elected officials) is pre-tax, not the hourly. Check with Stacy again and she will set you straight!; October 24, 2009 at 6:09 PM
Jay Moreno said...: Really? Let me get this straight: the commissioners are covered under the exact same plan as all employees, yet you contend that the commissioners premium contributions are pre-tax and the rank-and-file employees' premiums are after tax. Is that what you are trying to tell me?; October 24, 2009 at 8:35 PM
Anonymous said...: As I said, ask Mr. Howard or Stacy if the hourly employees health insurance costs are "pre-tax" are not. Then you can tell us more about the sand paper and the wildcats ass.; October 24, 2009 at 9:39 PM
Anonymous said...: I am so sick of people talking about My salary that THEY pay. I am a tax payer and so is my wife and child. So I also pay MY salary as does My wife and child.

To Serve and Protect Does NOT Mean To Kiss Your Ass!!!!!!!

I agree with you, we all pay your salary. You pay, and we pay. Thank you for your service to the county. From your post, I would guess you are Police Officer, and again thank you for your service. But if you are the original person who posted here complaining about your health care costs, I have no sympathy. I am a local business owner. We can’t get group discounts like the county can. That is the point of my post. No, I do not want Obama care; I want to be able to join a group to get discounts like you do. Plain and simple we don’t need health care over hall, we need heath care reform. And you should not bitch about the plan you have. You have it good. Walk a mile in my shoes.; October 24, 2009 at 11:38 PM
Jay Moreno said...: In point of fact, I e-mailed Staci yesterday. Not because I doubted my facts but because there are no doubt some out there who will not be convinced until they see her specifically stating that the premiums for all employeees are pre-tax. I'm sure she will answer tomorrow.; October 25, 2009 at 6:47 AM
Anonymous said...: Several things we should question. Why does Steve Howard depend on Jay Moron to do his dirty work by turning the citizens against the county employees and selling his plans for the county through Jay Moron??? When Howard wants further insulation from the public, he then uses Mrs Bodick to speak with Mr. Moron. I work for county making $11.23 and believe that the benefits the county offers does offset the hourly pay. But when you start messing with the benefits and I have NOT had a raise in 4 years then you are taking money out of my pocket. Keep up with COLA and then an insurance payment increase would not seem out of line. JMHO
And I know Moron, I should go to school and get a education to further my 8th grade education. And if I am not happy move on. I do wish I could go to school but I am not on disability, taken care of by workman's comp, of retirement age. Nor am I on any of the afformentioned "dole" programs that you enjoy while you sit at home unemployed. The "dole" programs I am speaking of is where the money is doled out to you that you do not earn. So stay close to the swill trough and keep cussing and typing and selling Howard's BS. Everyone is dealt a different set of cards with which they must play the game of life. Mine is poor and uneducated while your is in a wheel chair drawing money from the Obama administration and looking for more. I am truly sorry that you are disabled. I know you don't believe that but that is from my heart. I wish no man no pain or illness.; October 25, 2009 at 6:57 PM
Jay Moreno said...: Just curious: When you or someone in your family bercomes ill and files a claim, do you feel guilty about not having paid 100% of the doctor bills yourself? If you died, would you encourgae yor widow to trurn down the life insurance proceeds on trhe principle that she didn't earn it?
If YOU became disabled, would you forgo the Social Security benefits you had coming after paying for them for 40 years? Same question for worker's comp? If you were disabled, would you not take advantage of the state's Vocational Rehab program as I did to get teacher certification. By the way, I WAS working when I paid all the tuition for my 1st degree which I earned at the age of 49 after goin g to college at nightr for years while working full time.

No one is tryimng toi turn public opinion against the county employees. Regrettably, some of the employees themselves - you being a prime example - are trying their damnedest to do just that, however.

Had you not been blinded by hatred, yuo would have noticed that I am on record as ij favor of making county employee COLAS "inviolate," even if oit means a fraction of a mill tax increase to do so. I've also stated that it sounds like it's time for another comprehensive compensation study with adjustments, if needed.

Now, let's cut to the chase. I'm sure trhat all county employees will vote against me, if they can should I run for District 4 commissioner. That is their right and will not effect my voting on the BOC. I resepoct and appreciate the county employees on the whole but will not be intimidated by a cvocal minority (or majority) of them.; October 26, 2009 at 8:49 AM
Jay Moreno said...: Well, as you've no doubt read by now, I did check (as if I needed too) with Staci and she has confirmed, Sir or Madam, that your employee share of the cost of the health insurance plan is, in fact, jsut as I said it was, paid for with pre-tax dollars.

Good luck with that rabid wildcat.; October 26, 2009 at 11:48 AM