Price of Self-Employment
|
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
I laughed when I read in the Sept. 30 Federal Diary column that the premiums for the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program will rise 8.8 percent next year, adding an average of $12.87 per paycheck for family coverage; and that Blue Cross Blue Shield premiums will rise 12 percent for families (with expanded benefits). I should be so lucky.
I am a self-employed federal contractor and have a privately purchased Blue Cross plan for my wife and me. This spring my premiums rose to more than $2,200 per month, up almost 50 percent. That's more than $26,000 per year. (Last year's increase was more reasonable: only 25 percent.)
Fortunately we were able to switch to a policy with a high-deductible and high co-pays, lowering our premiums to $837 per month. We were happy.
So please, federal workers, appreciate how good you have it.
PHILIP SHIMAN
Springfield
