Health Insurance

[Stewey]

No worries....this is not a political topic.

I am curious, since many people in the hospitality industry work for independent restaurants, what do those workers do for health insurance? I know that you usually get some benefits if you work for hotels, are a part of a union, etc.

But what about the others out there? Or what about you restaurant owners--what do you do for your own personal health insurance ? (not talking about how you cover your workers...i mean insurance for you and your family?)

[justjoe]

I think most people do without. You cannot afford private insurance on typical kitchen wages.

[the_seraphim]

i live in england... so we get covered by the nhs, i think i pay about £60/month (or $110/month for you yanks) to cover it....

i dunno what health insurance is in the US, but it cant be much more than that could it!?

[Salliem]

I don't have any and I know many people I work with don't have any either...just do my best to stay healthy, eat right and exercise.

[RAS1187]

One instructor of mine offered a piece of advice to the whole class that has stuck with me. "Work for a hotel, better pay & benefits". I followed her advice and so far have not been dissatisfied.

[justjoe]

the_seraphim,

If I were to leave my job and buy my family plan out of my own pocket it would run about $1,200 a month. If you don't get medical insurance through your employer, very few people in the US can afford health insurance because it is so expensive. There are cheaper policies available, but they cover less and leave you with a greater share of the cost.

[boar_d_laze]

Originally Posted by the_seraphim

i live in england... so we get covered by the nhs, i think i pay about £60/month (or $110/month for you yanks) to cover it....

i dunno what health insurance is in the US, but it cant be much more than that could it!?

Oh, only about three times per person that for equivalent coverage. That's "not much more," right? The major cost differences are the cost of financing the American medical insurance industry and the cost of pharmaceuticals in the U.S.

The insurance industry likes to blame the cost of malpractice awards, but in fact, it's a very small part of the picture. Under 1% of actual costs. Doctors who practice in States with "tort reform," that is where malpractice litigation is strictly regulated, pay the same type of premiums as doctors in states without. Doctors practicing in States where the insurance industry is well regulated, pay lower premiums.

To give you an idea of what the realities are over here, a typical sole practitioner employs two people, full time, to fill out insurance forms and do insurance billing.

BDL

[boar_d_laze]

Originally Posted by Stewey

No worries....this is not a political topic.

[S]ince many people in the hospitality industry work for independent restaurants, what do those workers do for health insurance? I know that you usually [only] get some benefits if you are [... a member of] a union[...].

Given the economic realities of the industry, raising the question is inherently political. So are my edits reflecting the only significant source of insurance in it.

BDL

[the_seraphim]

Originally Posted by boar_d_laze

The insurance industry likes to blame the cost of malpractice awards, but in fact, it's a very small part of the picture. Under 1% of actual costs. Doctors who practice in States with "tort reform," that is where malpractice litigation is strictly regulated, pay the same type of premiums as doctors in states without. Doctors practicing in States where the insurance industry is well regulated, pay lower premiums.

To give you an idea of what the realities are over here, a typical sole practitioner employs two people, full time, to fill out insurance forms and do insurance billing.

BDL

ok but for those with health insurance your quality of care is far far higher than ours over here... if you need an MRI in the states with your insurance you can get one in a few days max... over here last time i needed an MRI i had to wait 4 months for an appointment

so you get what you pay for really...

there is surely some kind of free healthcare for emergency things? like if your hit by a car with no insurance, they dont just let you die surely?

[boar_d_laze]

Originally Posted by the_seraphim

ok but for those with health insurance your quality of care is far far higher than ours over here... if you need an MRI in the states with your insurance you can get one in a few days max... over here last time i needed an MRI i had to wait 4 months for an appointment

True, the NHS has some real problems with radiology. Shortage of personnel, shortage of equipment, etc. However, other countries with socialized medical systems -- like the rest of Europe for instance, don't. I don't want to minimize the radiology shortage and delays, but the rest of your system functions far more efficiently. Also, radiology waits are much shorter than they were at the height of the problem, 2001. It may be moving slowly, but at least it's going in the right direction

Here, you have to qualify for an MRI first. If you're coverage is HMO (clinic), likely if you're a working person, you have to receive approval from your HMO management -- which is not exactly unlikely, but not exactly automatic either. Waits can be quite long, depending on the severity of the complaint.

so you get what you pay for really...

Not true. U.S. health care is by far the most expensive in the industrialized world. It's by no means the best. In fact, most independent reviewers rate American health care among the worst for those who do not have the most expensive plans. That is, the vast majority of Americans. Also the situation gets worse every month.

In the UK, if you want to supplement your government health care with a private plan, you can. I imagine an extra 60 quid per, would get you a substantial upgrade. Meanwhile your American counterpart is paying approximately $300/mo per person for what amounts to less care than NHS -- non-emergency radiology aside.

As a matter of "Public Health," there is simply no comparison. You get a much higher level of preventive care, etc.

there is surely some kind of free healthcare for emergency things? like if your hit by a car with no insurance, they dont just let you die surely?

Depends what you mean by "free." If you qualify for government assistance, which requires actual poverty, you'll get it free. If you're working poor to middle class but no insurance -- you'll be billed. Medical care is by far the number one cause of bankruptcy in the U.S. Of course that could change with the current mixed bag of crises.

Unless you really take the time to look at U.S. health care as compared to the rest of the industrialized world, you don't realize what a complete cluster-**** it is.

BDL

[the_seraphim]

hehe... sorry to laugh on something so grim... but cluster-****!!! hehe... love that word,

word accepted and integrated to normal speech

anyway... that sounds really bad! why would you pay such things then... surely this is a problem that needs to be solved from the bottom... if only healthcare wasnt so bloody important!