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Every time I think this state has hit rock bottom in terms of direction, the NCGA surprises me - this time in the form of eliminating health insurance coverage for spouses.
As someone who has been proud to work for the state for years, these last few have been so especially disheartening. My wife is self-employed and is on my state insurance plan. It's not like it's a freebie - our annual contribution is a signficant portion of my salary...now they want to eliminate spouse coverage and force us to go on the farce of an exchange that the NCGA screwed us over with.
I know it's not a done deal, but the writing is clearly on the wall. I just don't know about this state anymore.
The state of NC has bent over backwards to make sure ACA can't work in this state. Out of spite, nonetheless.
Furthermore, this legislative body is passing laws left and right that erode the rights of the community at large for the benefit of the already privileged.
One can only hope the electorate is tired of this nonsense...
Hard to get businesses to relocate here when the government is destroying public education along with running all the would be teachers out of the state.
One can only hope the electorate is tired of this nonsense...
Not likely. All the pub candidates have to do is shout about guns, "turrism", and freedom, and the lemmings will vote for them despite everything else that really matters.
Don't dismiss the Marketplace entirely. I know several people for whom it has proven to be very valuable, myself included.
I am eligible for the marketplace because I work for a county govt, but only part time. My premiums exceeded the allowable expense based on my income. (I would have paid 25% of my monthly income for premiums. I think the cap is 19%, but I'm not sure). So I switched to a marketplace policy. It's a GOOD policy, better, really than the county employee policy.
My premiums are $330 per month. (I'm not married)
Because I work two part time jobs and have a crappy income, I receive a subsidy and only pay a portion of that. I'm not sure how the subsidy is calculated. It adjusts as income changes. That is only temporary for me as I am eligible for promotion to full time. I anticipate I'll be back on the county plan within a few months.
The fact that NC does not participate in the Marketplace doesn't mean the marketplace won't work. It still works. There was some challenge involved in applying because my income was so low at the time, i was told I had to apply for NC Medicaid. Those applications are backed up for months. Needless to say, I was never able to talk to anyone at NC medicaid about this. So I went back to the Marketplace, increased my 'anticipated' income, and qualified for a policy. But other than that, it was a smooth process.
In fact, if the state goes through with this plan, and employees find better insurance for their spouses, won't that bode well for the future of the Marketplace and ACA? They may be inadvertently supporting the Marketplace by doing this.
So is the $330 (as a ballpark, YMMV) competitive with what you are currently paying?
This seems so ridiculous to me. I'm usually one of the ones praising the state for the employee benefits offered and this is enough to turn me the other way. One of the best parts about working for the state gov is that, despite the much, much, much lower pay than comparables in the private sector, the benefits at least in some way made up for that.
This seems so ridiculous to me. I'm usually one of the ones praising the state for the employee benefits offered and this is enough to turn me the other way. One of the best parts about working for the state gov is that, despite the much, much, much lower pay than comparables in the private sector, the benefits at least in some way made up for that.
right state employees will lose bennies to be more 'flexible' and 'like the private sector'
This is the way most companies are going now. The ACA is having lots and lots of unintended consequences, which is usually the case in even the best laid plans.
I am hoping it will, like many of the cuts to state benefits, only apply to new employees after XX date, and current ones will be grandfathered in? That's how they did the retirement health coverage which you used to get after 5 years, now bumped to 20 (10 for half price). OTOH, there are plenty of other insurance-related things that apply immediately to all.
<dead horse>
And they wonder why they can't get skilled people to want to work for the state of NC...
This is the way most companies are going now. The ACA is having lots and lots of unintended consequences, which is usually the case in even the best laid plans.
That's true. More and more companies are doing this. Of course, the "rule of thumb" with State jobs has always been the pay is lower than private sector, but the benefits are better, so it's close to a balance. If they take the benefits away without increasing salaries, how will they get worthwhile employees to stay?
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