Thursday, August 26

HMO Employees Strike Over Being Treated Like... Customers!

I'm back! After a week of suffering nearly-incapacitating headaches and back pain without the benefits of healthcare, I run across this sad tale...


SEATTLE (AP) -- About 1,700 nurses and other health care workers formed picket lines to start a five-day strike against Group Health Cooperative -- one of the nation's oldest HMOs -- over the cost of their own health benefits.

Even speaking as someone who was slowly priced out of healthcare by the yearly increases, I cannot bring myself to sympathize with the union's plight. I can't imagine the workers' pain in having to face losing these benefits...

Union workers now get benefits with no premiums or deductibles. They make $5 co-payments for office visits and prescriptions.

...and having to face these horrendous proposed changes...

Group Health wants to raise co-payments to $15, institute deductibles and charge premiums on a sliding scale.


My God! The Humanity!

I won't tell them what my final premiums,deductibles and co-pays were; it might kill them.

Maybe the union should ask the company to cut spending on lobbying against universal healthcare.

Maybe I am just in a bad mood.


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