Wry Catcher
Diamond Member
- Banned
- #1
Consider, this was reported in 1991:
U.S. Labor Department surveys of large and medium-size companies that offer health insurance for 31 million employees show that the percentage of those employees with fully paid coverage for themselves alone fell from 75 percent in 1982 to 48 percent in 1989, the latest period studied. (Large and medium-size companies employ 100 or more people.)
At those same companies, the percentage of employees with fully paid coverage for themselves and members of their families fell from 50 percent in 1982 to 31 percent in 1989.
The average monthly employee contribution for individual health-care protection rose from $9 in 1982 to $25 in 1989 - an increase of 178 percent. During that same period, the average weekly paycheck went up 25 percent.
The average monthly employee contribution for combined individual and family health-care protection rose from $27 in 1982 to $72 in 1989 - an increase of 167 percent.
Because part-time workers seldom receive fully paid fringe benefits such as health insurance and pensions, their numbers are growing exponentially. Companies like this arrangement because it reduces costs. At Wal-Mart, now the nation's largest retailer, 40 percent of the workforce is part-time. At Kmart Corp., it is 47 percent. At Sears, Roebuck & Co., it is 55 percent.
As a result of the largest increase in corporate bankruptcies since the Great Depression, millions have lost their health insurance protection. The bankruptcy surge is continuing unabated.
Faced with steadily rising expenditures for the health-care costs of retirees, companies are curtailing or eliminating a benefit once promised for life. Millions of future retirees will see their coverage disappear. The government's General Accounting Office estimates that companies paid $9 billion in retiree medical costs last year, but should have set aside $32 billion for future payments. They did not.
For the full article see:
For millions in U.S., a harsh reality: It's not safe to get sick
U.S. Labor Department surveys of large and medium-size companies that offer health insurance for 31 million employees show that the percentage of those employees with fully paid coverage for themselves alone fell from 75 percent in 1982 to 48 percent in 1989, the latest period studied. (Large and medium-size companies employ 100 or more people.)
At those same companies, the percentage of employees with fully paid coverage for themselves and members of their families fell from 50 percent in 1982 to 31 percent in 1989.
The average monthly employee contribution for individual health-care protection rose from $9 in 1982 to $25 in 1989 - an increase of 178 percent. During that same period, the average weekly paycheck went up 25 percent.
The average monthly employee contribution for combined individual and family health-care protection rose from $27 in 1982 to $72 in 1989 - an increase of 167 percent.
Because part-time workers seldom receive fully paid fringe benefits such as health insurance and pensions, their numbers are growing exponentially. Companies like this arrangement because it reduces costs. At Wal-Mart, now the nation's largest retailer, 40 percent of the workforce is part-time. At Kmart Corp., it is 47 percent. At Sears, Roebuck & Co., it is 55 percent.
As a result of the largest increase in corporate bankruptcies since the Great Depression, millions have lost their health insurance protection. The bankruptcy surge is continuing unabated.
Faced with steadily rising expenditures for the health-care costs of retirees, companies are curtailing or eliminating a benefit once promised for life. Millions of future retirees will see their coverage disappear. The government's General Accounting Office estimates that companies paid $9 billion in retiree medical costs last year, but should have set aside $32 billion for future payments. They did not.
For the full article see:
For millions in U.S., a harsh reality: It's not safe to get sick
