Posted on 01/05/2015 6:21:55 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Harvard faculty members are apoplectic over changes to their university-provided health-care plans related to Obamacare — after Harvard researchers spent years promoting the Affordable Care Act.
The New York Times reports that faculty members voted unanimously in November to oppose a slight increase in out-of-pocket costs Harvard proposed for the plans. The university administration cited the need to confront the “added costs” caused by Obamacare provisions. Despite the protests, the university enacted the increase in January.
That hasn’t stopped faculty from waxing apocalyptic about the change. “Deplorable, deeply regressive, a sign of the corporatization of the university” is how classics professor Richard Thomas described it. “It’s equivalent to taxing the sick,” said economics professor Jerry Green. “I don’t think there’s any government in the world that would tax the sick.”
“It seems that Harvard is trying to save money shifting costs to sick people,” said sociology professor Mary Waters. “I don’t understand why a university with Harvard’s incredible resources would do this. What is the crisis?”
The relatively minor changes to the plan would see Harvard faculty paying a slightly larger, but still small deductible, along with around 10 percent of service costs, up to an out-of-pocket limit of $1,500 per individual and $4,500 for family.
Paying both a deductible and a small amount in what’s called coinsurance is quite common across employer-provided health plans, but the idea was vilified by in an op-ed penned by eleven Harvard professors for the school paper. Administrators cited a famous health-insurance study to defend increasing out-of-pocket contributions, but the eleven professors contend the evidence is outdated and not applicable to the lifestyle choices of Harvard faculty.
Not only is cost-sharing a common and growing part of most employer plans, it’s also a key part of plans offered on the Obamacare exchanges. So-called “bronze” health-care plans provided through the exchanges see co-insurance costs of 20 percent or more, along with deductibles reaching into the thousands of dollars. The deductible for a Harvard professor’s family will still be no more than $750.
To their credit, Harvard’s health-care researchers, some of whom were involved in the design of various health-care reforms, aren’t buying their colleagues’ complaints.
“Harvard is a microcosm of what’s happening in health care in the country,” Harvard health economist David Cutler told the times, noting that the university’s professors have long avoided the cost increases plaguing most other American workers. “Harvard was and remains a very generous employer.”
I hate Obamacare, but I love to see these leftists get kicked in the teeth by it.
not if they were 500 Assads. just my gut.
Yeah, let ‘em eat my tagline!!! (Snort!)
I’m sure the 1967 Boston phone directory had very few Assads, but I hear ya.
Just LMFAO right now!!!
Gosh, that’s just awful.
true enough. :-) bill would probably be more clever today, if he were still here.
So there you have it: the lilly white professors at Harvard can’t stand having a black man in charge.
They need to pay their taxes. Many of them are making six figures - money they really don’t need.
Ahh... so they just now figured out who “them” are?
Wow! $1500 per person and $4500 per family. Cry me a river. I would love to just be paying $4500 per person.
Harvard’s socialist libtards ‘s crying for the whaaambalace in the morning - smells like victory.
Couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch of scumbags.
MIT punks Harvard again.
This is so funny! The Libturds are getting what they deserve!
I visited a friend of mine earlier today (he had a nasty computer virus and asked me if I could help him get rid of it). He told me Obamacare was going to cost him over $20K a year if he got the type coverage he needed that would actually pay worth a damn! He has a large family but DAMN I thought he was kidding until he showed me the figures and the paperwork. This is complete and utter BS of the highest order. He hates Obama and deservedly so.
January 20, 2017 can’t get here fast enough...
“Obamacare for thee, keep my old plan/doctor for me.”
I actually studied this the other day, as a friend, quite liberal, would not STFU about the virtues of Obamacare.
Here was the result for the crappy Bronze plan, as I determined Gold/Platinum was freakin unaffordable and stupid.
Looked up Obamacare rates, deductible and exclusuions and here are the results.
For the Bronze Plan in California.
Premium = $413
Deductible= $5,000
The cost for medical services and prescriptions is a 35/65 split for basics like seing a doctor and scripts.
For major events the cost is 40% patient and 60% Obamacare. This cost is misleading when you factor in the cap, for out pocket and approved procedures is $6,600, as you will have paid most of that cost in the premium.
$413×12=$4,956 (just $1,000 less than your deductible)
While Obamacare says there are no limits to care, the mandate also says insurers have the right to limit non essential services.
I dunno, maybe you don’t get that 3 day pain blocker or they skip anesthesia and operate live.
A friend purchased the Bronze plan near as I can tell and her “premium” is $300, until she has her birthday then it goes to over $400 and she will still have out of pocket expenses to see even Dr. *.*, as would I.
Further, there is a 365 day waiting period for pre-existing conditions.
So, you will pay premiums for at least one year, before any sort of coverage exists and it is unclear what the coverage will be under “Sec 101 National High Risk Program”.
Further, you will need to purchase an Exclusion Rider or Pre-existing Condition insurance Plan (PCIP) for previous surgical procedures and you need another surgery for the same issue.
I obtained this information from at least a biased site, promoting Obamacare and you can research it if you care:
Obamacarefacts.com
My (former) doctor, 2010: “If you think healthcare is expensive now, wait until it’s ‘free’.”
Hahvuhd perfessers can bite my crank.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
