Company Separation and Benefits

[jadegrniiz]

Our organization is currently under the umbrella of a larger company (a hospital). Our benefits are fantastic - $55 every other week for a family of 4 (includes medical and dental as well). Our Co-pays are $10 for our Primary, and $25 for a specialist.

The health insurance is the "meat and potatoes" of employee benefits. Our pay scale is low - even for this area, but the health coverage makes up for it, especially in my case. Our newborn spent 5 days in NICU after birth, and the total hospital bill (including my care, too) was $150. The $25,000 in bills we didn't have to pay certainly made up for a paycheck deficit.

Anyhow.... onto the point

The organization is separating from the hospital effective October 1st. With that, it means getting new insurance coverage. So far, administration has not yet made any announcement on the premium change, but we were told that it is to be expected. I've asked friends and neighbors what they pay for insurance. And, honestly... with my current salary, I can't afford that kind of increase. My hubby is currently in the market for a new job, so we can't rely on his job to pick up the benefits. Not only that, but my hubby can't cover my 10yr old from a previous marriage, and her father is between jobs. So, I HAVE to hold the coverage.

It appears that administration is going to tell us about premium changes in September or so. But to be honest... we run a tight budget, one month ahead, and we need to know by the end of August so we can plan ahead. My birthday is in August, and once a month, our Executive Director holds a Birthday breakfast.... where everyone in the birth month goes out to breakfast on the company. We are encouraged to bring complaints, concerns and ideas for open-minded listening.

How can I prod the Director to tell us sooner? How can I tell her that I can't afford a dramatic (in excess of $50/ check)  increase in premium without an increase in pay? I took a $10k per year paycut when we moved here, so any additional expense will hurt. I certainly don't want to come across like I'm ungrateful for the job. They hired me at 5 months pregnant....when no one else would. It's my dream job, and I'm truly grateful they gave me the opportunity. My immediate supervisor knows my concerns, and promised to tell me anything she heard, even if it was secret information. She just has to play the waiting game like the rest of us.

Any thoughts?



Jadegrniiz
Deskdemon Forum Board Staff

Edited by jadegrniiz on 03/08/02 06:42 PM.

[andream]

In the earlier years of my career, I was caught in a very similar situation, in Florida, Jade green eyed one.  

In our case, there were 4,000 total employess and when the hospital buyout by a private company was achieved, they changed the way benefits were delivered, both to the standing employees and those of us left behind by the buy out as non hospital employees.  

Because they can't afford to have half the staff walk when benefits are cut, my advice is to wait and see what type of package you'll be offered and more importantly, ihow it will be offered.  You may find that you'll lose some services but the core health care will remain in place and fairly close to the same price you have now, there are creative ways of delivering benefits that can keep the prices low, my question is whether your particular organization has enough employees to make it cost effective.  Remember too, that there is no benefit to any organization to make sweeping changes and then have half the staff leave because they are unhappy.

Now, knowing about it earlier won't change one bit your decision and it may be months before you do know.  fixating on this one area is non productive and identifies you as a potential "trouble maker" , something any organization will be watching out for when there are radical changes taking place.  I'd be far more worried about my senority at this point, than the health care.  In florida there are several alternatives for low cost health care, non of them my first choice for getting health care, however, it is available.  

A great deal depends on how many employees are going to be affected and what that shakeup will have on overall hospital operations.   That will determine how far the hospital is willing to go in creating a private health care contract with your organizational employees.  

I'd be far more concerned as to why your organization is choosing to separate themselves from what must surely be a large chunk of their business.  You can bet there are other changes coming that you're not aware of and they are responding to the writing on the wall.

My advice:  Calm down.  You have no more right to know this decision than any other employee does.  Stop pushing and become part of the team. Your fellow co workers are worried too,  and none of you can impact the decision in this case, you can only respond to it. The old adage, take it one day at a time, never had more meaning than in this particular situation.

I mean let's face it.  If you find the new health care is too expensive, what's your alternative?  Create a plan for that but pushing for "private information" is NOT a good thing in these situations.  Such demeanor will come back to bite you in the backside when you least expect it.  

I speak from experience on this one!

Andrea