Feds: What's your annual cost of health insurance for family of 4

[Anonymous]

Fed here. Paid 14k$ last year for family plan. Seems a lot to me too OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our BC/BS last year was roughly $5200, it's a family plan, doesn't matter if you have 1 or 10 children.

We just switched to GEHA basic and it's going to be just over half that for the year.

that sounds a lot. so what's the percentage of the premium paid by the employer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our BC/BS last year was roughly $5200, it's a family plan, doesn't matter if you have 1 or 10 children.

We just switched to GEHA basic and it's going to be just over half that for the year.

that sounds a lot. so what's the percentage of the premium paid by the employer?

We are on GEHA self and family and there is no way we are paying over $200/month for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Really. Half the world thinks we get free health care as feds. That's all I'm saying.

....now you're stretching PP. I don't know a single soul who thinks feds get free health care!!!

[Anonymous]

I know this is about Fed health care but we are in private. Family of 4. United PPO. also have dental through Metlife and Vision through VSP (or something like that)

Our monthly is about $600

Problem is most of our medical expenses are for mental health (ADHD counseling) and all of it is 100% self-pay until we reach our out of pocket max...and even then its a small % that is covered.

[Anonymous]

We pay less than 4k a year for a family plan and we're very happy with it. I've been on this plan for four years and have no major complaints. The maternity care is a great deal - just staying the same number of nights in a hotel would have cost more than the co-pay for my L&D + recovery stay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really. Half the world thinks we get free health care as feds. That's all I'm saying.

....now you're stretching PP. I don't know a single soul who thinks feds get free health care!!!

One of my dad's coworkers was shocked to find out we pay any portion of our premiums, let alone have copays. He thought it was 100% free and continued into retirement. I think some unions used to be able to negociate things like that, so maybe some older folks assume any unionized workforce doesn't have cost-share.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our BC/BS last year was roughly $5200, it's a family plan, doesn't matter if you have 1 or 10 children.

We just switched to GEHA basic and it's going to be just over half that for the year.

that sounds a lot. so what's the percentage of the premium paid by the employer?

We are on GEHA self and family and there is no way we are paying over $200/month for it.

The employer premium was around $11k last year with BC/BS standard.

Our new GEHA plan is $109 a pay period, 26 pay periods, so yes, it is a little over $200 a month.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really. Half the world thinks we get free health care as feds. That's all I'm saying.

....now you're stretching PP. I don't know a single soul who thinks feds get free health care!!!

One of my dad's coworkers was shocked to find out we pay any portion of our premiums, let alone have copays. He thought it was 100% free and continued into retirement. I think some unions used to be able to negociate things like that, so maybe some older folks assume any unionized workforce doesn't have cost-share.

I have also had people tell me that I get free health insurance, don't have to pay social security, and don't have to contribute to the pension plan we get. A lot of people have incorrect (or very outdated) ideas about federal benefits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really. Half the world thinks we get free health care as feds. That's all I'm saying.

....now you're stretching PP. I don't know a single soul who thinks feds get free health care!!!

One of my dad's coworkers was shocked to find out we pay any portion of our premiums, let alone have copays. He thought it was 100% free and continued into retirement. I think some unions used to be able to negociate things like that, so maybe some older folks assume any unionized workforce doesn't have cost-share.

I have also had people tell me that I get free health insurance, don't have to pay social security, and don't have to contribute to the pension plan we get. A lot of people have incorrect (or very outdated) ideas about federal benefits.

Very true in my experience.

My FIL is utterly convinced we get free healthcare and the large pension available under CSRS. Despite the fact that both H and I are feds and have been for 9 and 7 years respectively. He just won't change his mind that we are somehow getting a free ride.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our BC/BS last year was roughly $5200, it's a family plan, doesn't matter if you have 1 or 10 children.

We just switched to GEHA basic and it's going to be just over half that for the year.

that sounds a lot. so what's the percentage of the premium paid by the employer?

We are on GEHA self and family and there is no way we are paying over $200/month for it.

The employer premium was around $11k last year with BC/BS standard.

Our new GEHA plan is $109 a pay period, 26 pay periods, so yes, it is a little over $200 a month.

Ah, you're right. I was thinking per pay period, not thinking about two pay periods per month. D'oh.

[Anonymous]

I am not a fed, though my dad is a retired fed. He did not pay into social security but in turn is not eligible for social security benefits (whereas of course private sector can have private sector pension plus social security).

I understand Feds pay about 25 percent of premiums. Is his correct?

We pay about 20 percent of premiums, but wih small employers we have far fewer choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really. Half the world thinks we get free health care as feds. That's all I'm saying.

....now you're stretching PP. I don't know a single soul who thinks feds get free health care!!!

Some people clearly think this - if you've ever read the comments on some of the WaPo articles about federal employees. Or even here on DCUM,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It does seem like a lot consider our "wonderful" federal benefits doesn't it? Ha ha

We are a family of two and pay the same as a family of 10.

Maybe I will check out GEHA per PP.

Are you fucking serious? Many people non-fed pay $1,000 a month!

You were a sucker paying $1000/month. I pay much more now as a fed than I did in the private sector.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It does seem like a lot consider our "wonderful" federal benefits doesn't it? Ha ha

We are a family of two and pay the same as a family of 10.

Maybe I will check out GEHA per PP.

Are you fucking serious? Many people non-fed pay $1,000 a month!

You were a sucker paying $1000/month. I pay much more now as a fed than I did in the private sector.

Seriously. Individually purchased plans usually aren't that high. If your employer was offering a plan like that as a "benefit" you'd probably be better off on your own.