McCain to tax health insurance

Well Aaron I hate to rub salt in your wounds from being wrong but you need to re-check your "facts" about PEIA being free.

I was a public employee before PEIA existed.

I was a public employee before PEIB existed.

And I was a public employee when Arch Moore was Governor and our insurance was worthless.

They just refused to pay.

shermangeneral wrote:Well Aaron I hate to rub salt in your wounds from being wrong but you need to re-check your "facts" about PEIA being free.

Well "DUH", ...... it is free.

The only thing that is not free is your Deductible and Co-pay that you pay to the provider.

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I'm glad to see PEIA is finally charging for insurance. Perhaps if they had done so 20 years ago, PEIA wouldn't be in the mess it is.

Personally, I think the state should bid insurance out to private firms and get out of the insurance business but if they're going to be in it, then the participants should at least have to foot their fair share, just as it's done in the real world.

Do you know what Carelink is Aaron? That is right, a PRIVATE insurance provider. PEIA gets the state a group rate.

PEIA is cheaper than what I have but not better.

Perhaps you could show me where PEIA used to provide free health care for state employees?

GEEEZE TerryRC, ...... I'm really sorry to hear about your troubles, ....... I suggest you apply for a Teaching position in your County School System, ....... I am sure you will find their PEIA coverage is a lot better than what you describe above.

Sam, not troubles and not complaining. Just making the point that your statement of:

Especially State, County and City employees because their Payroll Contributions and Co-pays are rock bottom, ....... and their Provider covers dozens of medical procedures and Health Aids that private insurers don't and won't.

...was not across the board accurate. First, I don't think PEIA is as inexpensive or "freewheeling" as you believe. Second, not all employees use it. Some of us go with the private provider option.

See?

BTW, people that use PEIA DO pay a premium, just like anyone else with health insurance.

Sherm is right, Sam and Aaron. It might be less expensive than other options, but it is not "free".

My ex-wife had it from her second husband in 2000. It was FREE as there was no employee contribution. The employer paid the entire contribution. That makes it FREE Terry.

I also have a sister-in-law that works for the state. She paid no contribution. It was FREE.

I pay about $50.00/week for my insurance. How much do you pay for yours? And when did state employees start paying for it?

Keep in mind that a deductible or co-pay is not part of the cost of having insurance. That is part of the cost of using it.

There is a difference.

My ex-wife had it from her second husband in 2000. It was FREE as there was no employee contribution. The employer paid the entire contribution. That makes it FREE Terry.

I also have a sister-in-law that works for the state. She paid no contribution. It was FREE.

Bullshit. Your ex- didn't have to pay the premiums but her second husband did. As to your sister-in-law, the only way that could have happened was if her spouse or ex-spouse was paying for the premiums under a family plan. If that was the case, there was STILL an employee contribution

I've got the benefits manuals all the way back to when I was hired in 99.

All state employees pay premiums for any health care, PEIA or otherwise. As far as I know, they always have.

Not that it is your business, but I pay 82$ a week for a family plan. That doesn't include dental or optical.

In '99 PEIA was 167$ per month for the family rate. It is much more now.

Mine through Carelink, a private provider, is more but has no deductible and covers more things.

Bottom line, you don't know what you are talking about. You have either been lied to, misunderstood something, or are full of crap.

Your idea of the benefits of state employment are over exaggerated.

His PEIA contribution was covered by his employer Terry. I know that for a fact.

As to my S-I-L, I have no idea what she pays now. I know in 92 she paid nothing because it was the last family reunion that me and all of my sibilings were at and she was complaining about having to start paying.

Do you recall what year did employees start paying for health care coverage?

http://www.wv.gov/Pages/agency.aspx?newid=17

This is just a little history and maybe a starting point if someone wants to explore further.

It is a myth that PEIA is no cost to the employee. Now or ever.

It is reasonably good coverage but not the cadillac the republicans claim it to be.

(except when Arch Moore was Governor. Employees had insurance then but they just quit paying claims. And providers understandably quit accepting PEIA patients. Employees were being hounded by collection agencies and had their credit ratings ruined.)

You pretty much stole my thunder on the rest of my post Terry.


btw as I understand some of the counties and other state agencies have opted out got other insurance for their employees.

You'll have to point out the cost sheet Sherm and when they took effect. I'm not going looking all over a PEIA site.

One question Terry. Do all agencies that use PEIA have the same coverage, the same cost and the same benefits?

His PEIA contribution was covered by his employer Terry. I know that for a fact.

You obviously don't know anything about "facts".

Even our elected and appointed officials must pay a premium.

Don't bother to do the research, Aaron. It is because you know that you are wrong.

One question Terry. Do all agencies that use PEIA have the same coverage, the same cost and the same benefits?

Statewide. Your premiums are now, I believe, salary-linked, the more you make, the more you pay. The coverage stays the same.

Not all employees use PEIA. I wouldn't on a bet.

Aaron wrote:You'll have to point out the cost sheet Sherm and when they took effect. I'm not going looking all over a PEIA site.

lol I understand Why bother checking facts when you can just make some up...

btw Aaron I am not sure how serious they are or how far along but I think they have discussed the idea of opening up PEIA to small business who do not cover their employees.

And Kucinich was talking about just covering everyone thru medicare.

That would make a lot more sense imo.

Cover everyone with medicare that loses billions and is rampant with waste and fraud. Why would you want everyone coverd through that?

TerryRC wrote:His PEIA contribution was covered by his employer Terry. I know that for a fact.

You obviously don't know anything about "facts".

Even our elected and appointed officials must pay a premium.

Don't bother to do the research, Aaron. It is because you know that you are wrong.

You realize that PEIA is not limited to state employees only, don't you Terry? Many counties, municipalities and public service commissions are members of PEIA as well. Can you say with 100% certainty that EACH and EVERY one of those 'employers' that provide coverage charge EACH and EVERY employee a premium for their coverage? Do you know that for a fact?

TerryRC wrote:
Sherm is right, Sam and Aaron. It might be less expensive than other options, but it is not "free".

OH YEAH, then tell me, ..... when was the last time they INCREASED the amount of Employee Contribution for PEIA ....... that ALL employees didn't get a raise that covered that INCREASE?




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shermangeneral wrote:It is a myth that PEIA is no cost to the employee. Now or ever.

Myth my arse, .... PEIA is Public Employees Insurance ........ and the Provider of said Insurance for/to the Employees ........ is also the Employer of said Employees.

The Employer collects tax money from the taxpayers and/or charges the citizens for services ...... and they take said money and pay part of it to the Employees as wages ....... and most of the Employee give a little bit of said money back to the Employer as a psudo payment for their health coverage. (Actually, the employee isn't given the money, it just appears as a credit-debit on their pay stub.)

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I might be convinced to support health insurance that moves it into the marketplace and out of the realm of employer benefit. There is little to no incentive to keep the prices down.

Aaron wrote:

TerryRC wrote:His PEIA contribution was covered by his employer Terry. I know that for a fact.

You obviously don't know anything about "facts".

Even our elected and appointed officials must pay a premium.

Don't bother to do the research, Aaron. It is because you know that you are wrong.

You realize that PEIA is not limited to state employees only, don't you Terry? Many counties, municipalities and public service commissions are members of PEIA as well. Can you say with 100% certainty that EACH and EVERY one of those 'employers' that provide coverage charge EACH and EVERY employee a premium for their coverage? Do you know that for a fact?

Sherm, feel free to answer as well since Terry refuses.

ohio county wrote:I might be convinced to support health insurance that moves it into the marketplace and out of the realm of employer benefit. There is little to no incentive to keep the prices down.

But Jimmy, that would be reason for all public employees, especially the School Teachers, to organize massive protests, stage a "School Flu Strike" .... and march down that Brickstreet to the Capitol in Charleston.



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Aaron wrote:

TerryRC wrote:His PEIA contribution was covered by his employer Terry. I know that for a fact.

You obviously don't know anything about "facts".

Even our elected and appointed officials must pay a premium.

Don't bother to do the research, Aaron. It is because you know that you are wrong.

You realize that PEIA is not limited to state employees only, don't you Terry? Many counties, municipalities and public service commissions are members of PEIA as well. Can you say with 100% certainty that EACH and EVERY one of those 'employers' that provide coverage charge EACH and EVERY employee a premium for their coverage? Do you know that for a fact?

TerryRC wrote:Bullshit. Your ex- didn't have to pay the premiums but her second husband did.

shermangeneral wrote:
lol I understand Why bother checking facts when you can just make some up...

Sherm? Terry? I'm still waiting. For the record, I stated that my ex-wifes 2nd husbans had PEIA stated funded insurance and he didn't pay a penny for his premium and you both pretty much called me liars and/or accused me of making up facts. Now there's a couple of questions out there to you guys. Any particular reason neither of you will answer?

Well you guys just try to hijack the thread and play games with anecdotal b.s.

If you agree with McCain's proposal to tax health insurance benefits why not just say so instead of the usual tirade about public employees?

I have posted what I want to see.

But you guys are not for anything.

Just against everything that benefits working people.

Sherm, feel free to answer as well since Terry refuses.

Sorry, Aaron. Been on the road working in McDowell and Wyoming counties and sleeping under the tailgate.

Unless you are on an assistance program, you pay a premium for your coverage.

Yes. Every person that works and gets PEIA through their employers pay a MONTHLY premium.

Like I said, the benefits booklet is used in every agency that I have seen. We all go to the same benefits fairs when the plans change.

Just go to the PEIA website and stop being a goon.

BTW. I didn't say you lied. I allowed for the fact that you might be mistaken.

I'm not mistaken Terry. The public service commision her husband worked for provided all insurance to their employees, free of charge. That changed in 05 or 06, I believe. What I stated was 100% correct.

shermangeneral wrote:
But you guys are not for anything.

Just against everything that benefits working people.

And you can post a link proving this, right Sherm!!!

I'm not mistaken Terry. The public service commision her husband worked for provided all insurance to their employees, free of charge. That changed in 05 or 06, I believe. What I stated was 100% correct.

Bullshit. If they did, it was under the table.

Like I said, the benefits manual is used statewide. Just go to the PEIA website.

Every employee pays a premium. I have never seen an exception, from DEP to DHHR to City of Dunbar janitor.

If you have the one exception to the rule, I'm calling you out.

What agency did he work for? I'd like to give their benefits coordinator a call because I'm tired of this bullcrap. It really doesn't matter to your relative, or whatever. Just like mine, their pay and deductions are a matter of public record.

In Texas-hold-'em parlance - I'm putting you all in.

Public employees pay for their health care just like everyone else. You just want to paint them all as lazy, grasping and over compensated.

Some are but most are not. You should stop hazing them.