The LuLac Edition #872, July 9th, 2009

PHOTO INDEX: OUR HEALTH CARE REFORM LOGO.

HEALTH CARE REFORM

Did you know that Out-of-Pocket Expenses for Americans with Employer-Based Coverage Rise to More Than $3,700 per Year? That's why this report you are about to read is so important.
U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius released a new report – Hidden Costs of Health Care: Why Americans are Paying More but Getting Less. The report documents the rising cost of deductibles, co-payments and out-of-pocket expenses that are making it more difficult for families with insurance to receive the health care they need, and is available at www.HealthReform.gov. “It doesn’t matter if you have insurance or not: when Americans go to the hospital or the doctor’s office, they are paying more and getting less,” said Sebelius. “Every year, co-pays, deductibles and other expenses are taking a bigger bite out of the family budget and the American people are demanding reform.”
The report notes: A person with employer-based coverage paid an average of $1,522 on health care (not including premiums) in 2006, compared with $1,260 in 2001. When including the added burden of higher premiums, out-of-pocket costs rose even more sharply, with a 30 percent increase from an average of $2,827 in 2001 to $3,744 in 2006. Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums have nearly doubled since 2000, a rate three times faster than wages. In 2008, the average premium for a family plan purchased through an employer was $12,680, nearly the annual earnings of a full-time minimum wage job. For preferred provider organization (PPO) plans purchased through an employer, the average family deductible increased 30 percent in just two years, from $1,034 to $1,344. This effect is more pronounced for small firms, where PPO deductibles increased from $1,439 to $2,367 — a rise of 64 percent.
In 2004, only one in five people with health insurance through an employer had a co-payment of more than $25, but by 2008 the number jumped to one in three. “Millions of Americans don’t have insurance, and millions more are still struggling to afford the care they need,” added Sebelius. “We need to pass health reform this year to give these families the relief they need.”The report is one of a series of reports on the health care status quo that are available online at http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/index.html.

CODE 'EM

The Wilkes-Barre Area School board unanimously approved a new dress code requiring solid colors. The new code bans cargo pants, baggy pants, extra wide pants, sweat pants, wind pants, jeans and excessively tight pants. Skirts and shirts must be a solid color and shirts must have collars. Skirts must be knee or ankle length. All shirts must be buttoned just below the neck, school district logos and manufacturer logos no larger than two inches square are allowed. Crew neck sweatshirts and sweaters may be worn but must be solid color and cannot be ripped or torn, and must be sized to fit. Shorts are permitted from April 1 through Oct. 31 and must be solid color and no shorter than two inches above the knee. Cargo shorts are banned. Belts must be solid color and no chain link belts are allowed. Buckles must be no larger than two inches square. Backless shoes, clogs, open-toed shoes and heels over three inches are prohibited. The code bans Henley shirts, spandex pants, hats, caps, headbands, bandannas, the display of undergarments, chains, dog collars, spike bracelets, unnatural hair coloring, denim, camouflage in any clothing, coats and hoods during the school day, all-black outfits, fishnet stockings and plug earrings. It is refreshing to see some educational entity finally imposing a dress code. When I’m on my way to work or meetings in the morning, it is not uncommon to see teenage girls going to Coughlin looking as if they were coming back from an all night class in Pole Dancing 101. A dress code is a standard set. I’m sure there will be people talking about individuality but let’s can that. We, as a society have become slobs. That slovenly is masked by the word “casual”. Maybe by having kids dress for school, they might even try it for church or even on dates. There’s nothing so sad as seeing a well put together girl with a nice outfit on sitting across a table in a restaurant from a guy wearing a wife beater, dirty jeans with 10 pound key chains on them and a ball cap sitting on his head backwards. Maybe a dress code will give these kids a chance at making a good impression on a job interview.

DIFFERENT RULES

How about this? Attorneys employed by the Luzerne County Courthouse are getting full time health care while working part time. The Human Resources Director said it’s always been like that. Well, so was polio but something was done about that! "I said a long time ago, 'Why do we pay the benefits for part-time attorneys?'" Director of Budget and Finance Tom Pribula said. Well cuz, the reason we do that in Luzerne County is because there are two separate sets of rules for people. An attorney making $40,000 a year might be considered part time but yet gets health care benefits. You mean he or she can’t afford to pay the benefit on that salary which is more than a row officer makes? One Attorney, a former Judicial candidate actually admits he gets $1,000 bucks extra because he’s covered on his wife’s plan! Sweet! In the meantime, a county resident goes to work for one of those high paying jobs the Chamber of Commerce brings in here, they get $8.50 an hour but are only offered 31 hours so as to not qualify for health care. A disgrace.
Pribula said the county's payroll system needs to be adjusted because payroll records show part-time lawyers are working 32 hours every week. The records should show that those attorneys are paid a weekly salary that isn't based on hours worked, Folks, I hate to do this to you again, but we need to clean out the Courthouse of lawyers, workers, union lackeys....everybody! Keep the management team in place (although poor Doug Pape will be wandering around like a zombie saying, "We never did it this way before"!!!) put everybody else on unempliyment for 60 days....well here, let me tell you....