APS and new healthcare provider

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I sympathize with you, APS teachers on Kaiser. It is not easy to find new doctors right now, but they’re out there. Good news is that this is likely a one time switch- most practices around here participate in many of the big plans.

As hard as this is, you not winning any supporters with this. Stop trying to get the parents to do your bidding for you. It’s unprofessional. The Board has a fiduciary duty to the taxpayers to ensure that the benefits that are being provided to you are being obtained at a reasonable cost commensurate with market rates. Insurance plans cost a whole lot more than the small fraction you individually pay.

Additionally - All of us in corporate land have been through insurer changes, along with massive YoY increases in premiums or deductibles, and limits on service. You are being offered what appears to be a great plan at a competitive cost. Stop threatening to quit or call out for days on end unless you’d like to come experience employer coverage out here in the wild.

Or maybe, just maybe we CARE about the kids we teach and feel bad that we will have to take days off because we know it sucks, but it is also the only way we are given. It isn’t a threat, just the reality of what we are facing.

This has nothing to do with insurance plans changing. I know some people are asking for more days off to "look for more doctors" That's nonsense. Most of this can be done online at any time of day. Even if not, our contract hours allow for phone calls.

No, my kid needs to be brought to a doctor so her multiple therapies can be approved. I need to take medicine for a chronic condition. I suppose after being in Kaiser for 20 years, I could be out of it, but I doubt a doctor will just approve and write a prescription without ever seeing me. I can pick a doctor out online, in fact I already have on the BCBS website. That doesn’t mean I can get him to prescribe meds sight unseen. We have to SEE the doctor and that can’t be done outside of contract hours.

This is definitively part of the issue and why so many staff are freaking out.
The way Kaiser works and the way the other insurance providers differs.
I have had a PPO plan through my employer for years and I would definitely be upset to lose that.
I don't need a primary care doctor if I don't want to have one. I can see a specialist by calling and making an appointment.
The majority of doctors in the area will take the major insurers. If the doctor is out of network, or doesn't even participate in the network, you can likely still go to that doctor. Pay up front and then submit a claim for reimbursement at the out of network rates.
For specialists, it can take a few months to get a routine appointment. Then at that appointment, they have you book the next appointment.
Major health networks like Inova and MedStar - have doctors that are part of their networks. For Inova, there are medical office buildings in the area where several providers are in one place. Same for MedStar. Inova has a partnership with Children's National and have a medical building in Fairfax for children's specialty services.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the person who keeps talking about my summer off… I wish you could be a fly on the wall for this past month. Do you have any idea how many additional hours we put in? I have worked every evening and weekend for the past month. I fell asleep at 7 last night because I’m so exhausted. I have more education than all of my Arlington neighbors who work from home, take long walks all day, make more than me, and then all tell me how “lucky” I am every summer. It is a choice I made, but it is not cushy. Have some respect. Or hey, join us… we can’t find enough people to do it, cushy gig that it is. Come and join the team.

The insurance thing does not affect me, but I can tell you that teachers in APS are quite rightfully upset. Duran gave all the central office staff an extra three weeks of vacation, and things are not getting done. There are basic things we need, many people that are supposed to support us, and our jobs have become much harder. Huge classes. No funding for field trips. No subs. Difficulty renewing licenses and getting supplies. All as this occurs, an expanding central office.

Now, you have teachers that will have to pay more for insurance. (Don’t just look at rates, look at the deductibles.). It’s like the straw that broke the camel’s back.

I don’t know anyone who only works for 8 hours a day. A lot of jobs if not most have to work extra which isn’t paid for. That’s kind of how it goes here in America. I don’t know anyone over the age of 25 who isn’t tired from work and life in general.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the person who keeps talking about my summer off… I wish you could be a fly on the wall for this past month. Do you have any idea how many additional hours we put in? I have worked every evening and weekend for the past month. I fell asleep at 7 last night because I’m so exhausted. I have more education than all of my Arlington neighbors who work from home, take long walks all day, make more than me, and then all tell me how “lucky” I am every summer. It is a choice I made, but it is not cushy. Have some respect. Or hey, join us… we can’t find enough people to do it, cushy gig that it is. Come and join the team.

The insurance thing does not affect me, but I can tell you that teachers in APS are quite rightfully upset. Duran gave all the central office staff an extra three weeks of vacation, and things are not getting done. There are basic things we need, many people that are supposed to support us, and our jobs have become much harder. Huge classes. No funding for field trips. No subs. Difficulty renewing licenses and getting supplies. All as this occurs, an expanding central office.

Now, you have teachers that will have to pay more for insurance. (Don’t just look at rates, look at the deductibles.). It’s like the straw that broke the camel’s back.

I don’t know anyone who only works for 8 hours a day. A lot of jobs if not most have to work extra which isn’t paid for. That’s kind of how it goes here in America. I don’t know anyone over the age of 25 who isn’t tired from work and life in general.

Yeah this country sucks lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the person who keeps talking about my summer off… I wish you could be a fly on the wall for this past month. Do you have any idea how many additional hours we put in? I have worked every evening and weekend for the past month. I fell asleep at 7 last night because I’m so exhausted. I have more education than all of my Arlington neighbors who work from home, take long walks all day, make more than me, and then all tell me how “lucky” I am every summer. It is a choice I made, but it is not cushy. Have some respect. Or hey, join us… we can’t find enough people to do it, cushy gig that it is. Come and join the team.

The insurance thing does not affect me, but I can tell you that teachers in APS are quite rightfully upset. Duran gave all the central office staff an extra three weeks of vacation, and things are not getting done. There are basic things we need, many people that are supposed to support us, and our jobs have become much harder. Huge classes. No funding for field trips. No subs. Difficulty renewing licenses and getting supplies. All as this occurs, an expanding central office.

Now, you have teachers that will have to pay more for insurance. (Don’t just look at rates, look at the deductibles.). It’s like the straw that broke the camel’s back.

I don’t know anyone who only works for 8 hours a day. A lot of jobs if not most have to work extra which isn’t paid for. That’s kind of how it goes here in America. I don’t know anyone over the age of 25 who isn’t tired from work and life in general.

Do you have kids in APS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the person who keeps talking about my summer off… I wish you could be a fly on the wall for this past month. Do you have any idea how many additional hours we put in? I have worked every evening and weekend for the past month. I fell asleep at 7 last night because I’m so exhausted. I have more education than all of my Arlington neighbors who work from home, take long walks all day, make more than me, and then all tell me how “lucky” I am every summer. It is a choice I made, but it is not cushy. Have some respect. Or hey, join us… we can’t find enough people to do it, cushy gig that it is. Come and join the team.

The insurance thing does not affect me, but I can tell you that teachers in APS are quite rightfully upset. Duran gave all the central office staff an extra three weeks of vacation, and things are not getting done. There are basic things we need, many people that are supposed to support us, and our jobs have become much harder. Huge classes. No funding for field trips. No subs. Difficulty renewing licenses and getting supplies. All as this occurs, an expanding central office.

Now, you have teachers that will have to pay more for insurance. (Don’t just look at rates, look at the deductibles.). It’s like the straw that broke the camel’s back.

I don’t know anyone who only works for 8 hours a day. A lot of jobs if not most have to work extra which isn’t paid for. That’s kind of how it goes here in America. I don’t know anyone over the age of 25 who isn’t tired from work and life in general.

Unless you’re in health care and directly serving patients, the intensity is not the same. You can probably eat and use the bathroom when you want. Take a sick day without creating a plan for a substitute. And your extra hours are nowhere close. You get every tax dollar out of your public school teachers, trust me. Don’t begrudge us the one huge perk of the job (the summer off), or the time we get to spend with your kids. Aside from that, we put up with an extraordinary amount of bullshit.

The point that I was really trying to make, though, is that the bullshit has gotten worse, and teaching in APS has become much harder because of the inefficiency in the central office. That’s going to affect your kids. A school system is only as good as its teachers. Pay attention to the actions of your school board and superintendent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the person who keeps talking about my summer off… I wish you could be a fly on the wall for this past month. Do you have any idea how many additional hours we put in? I have worked every evening and weekend for the past month. I fell asleep at 7 last night because I’m so exhausted. I have more education than all of my Arlington neighbors who work from home, take long walks all day, make more than me, and then all tell me how “lucky” I am every summer. It is a choice I made, but it is not cushy. Have some respect. Or hey, join us… we can’t find enough people to do it, cushy gig that it is. Come and join the team.

The insurance thing does not affect me, but I can tell you that teachers in APS are quite rightfully upset. Duran gave all the central office staff an extra three weeks of vacation, and things are not getting done. There are basic things we need, many people that are supposed to support us, and our jobs have become much harder. Huge classes. No funding for field trips. No subs. Difficulty renewing licenses and getting supplies. All as this occurs, an expanding central office.

Now, you have teachers that will have to pay more for insurance. (Don’t just look at rates, look at the deductibles.). It’s like the straw that broke the camel’s back.

I don’t know anyone who only works for 8 hours a day. A lot of jobs if not most have to work extra which isn’t paid for. That’s kind of how it goes here in America. I don’t know anyone over the age of 25 who isn’t tired from work and life in general.

Those jobs pay a lot better than teaching positions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the person who keeps talking about my summer off… I wish you could be a fly on the wall for this past month. Do you have any idea how many additional hours we put in? I have worked every evening and weekend for the past month. I fell asleep at 7 last night because I’m so exhausted. I have more education than all of my Arlington neighbors who work from home, take long walks all day, make more than me, and then all tell me how “lucky” I am every summer. It is a choice I made, but it is not cushy. Have some respect. Or hey, join us… we can’t find enough people to do it, cushy gig that it is. Come and join the team.

The insurance thing does not affect me, but I can tell you that teachers in APS are quite rightfully upset. Duran gave all the central office staff an extra three weeks of vacation, and things are not getting done. There are basic things we need, many people that are supposed to support us, and our jobs have become much harder. Huge classes. No funding for field trips. No subs. Difficulty renewing licenses and getting supplies. All as this occurs, an expanding central office.

Now, you have teachers that will have to pay more for insurance. (Don’t just look at rates, look at the deductibles.). It’s like the straw that broke the camel’s back.

I don’t know anyone who only works for 8 hours a day. A lot of jobs if not most have to work extra which isn’t paid for. That’s kind of how it goes here in America. I don’t know anyone over the age of 25 who isn’t tired from work and life in general.

Those jobs pay a lot better than teaching positions.

Really? I know several restaurant managers making $60K working 12 hour days including weekends and holidays. I am an APS teacher. I know it’s hard work but I hate when teachers assume everyone else makes less money for fewer hours. It’s absolutely untrue. Many people take home work, work more than 40 hours and make less than we do. A good portion of them have advanced degrees too (including some of the people I know in hospitality!)

[Anonymous]

Duran is running this system into the ground. His departments aren't doing their jobs; some departments' jobs are even dubious; the departments are not coordinating or collaborating. APS is an absolute mess. I don't know how the SB can't see that.

The last sentence is spot on. Central office is a mess. They just add people and each new initiative just adds more to teachers’ plates. They keep making one mistake after another and the burden is placed on school staff. I am an experienced teacher in a hard to staff position. If I wanted to leave now I could get a job anywhere. I won’t because I don’t want to do that to my students and my principal, who I respect. But I made my decision. This is my last year in APS.


This could have been written by me... Syphax has been no support to teachers in the bldgs and truly just loading on the busy work to make themselves (bloated workforce, extra office space, etc.) seem necessary. Stop giving teachers more work! Go to the schools and see what is really going on, see how you can help in this massive crisis our school children are experiencing, help to reduce class size so teachers can better meet the needs of their students.
Duran should never have given Syphax staff those free days off with pay- how insulting to all the other workers in the system. Now, changing families' health insurance is just one more headache from APS. This is my last year, too, and I am not the only one in my bldg planning their departure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the person who keeps talking about my summer off… I wish you could be a fly on the wall for this past month. Do you have any idea how many additional hours we put in? I have worked every evening and weekend for the past month. I fell asleep at 7 last night because I’m so exhausted. I have more education than all of my Arlington neighbors who work from home, take long walks all day, make more than me, and then all tell me how “lucky” I am every summer. It is a choice I made, but it is not cushy. Have some respect. Or hey, join us… we can’t find enough people to do it, cushy gig that it is. Come and join the team.

The insurance thing does not affect me, but I can tell you that teachers in APS are quite rightfully upset. Duran gave all the central office staff an extra three weeks of vacation, and things are not getting done. There are basic things we need, many people that are supposed to support us, and our jobs have become much harder. Huge classes. No funding for field trips. No subs. Difficulty renewing licenses and getting supplies. All as this occurs, an expanding central office.

Now, you have teachers that will have to pay more for insurance. (Don’t just look at rates, look at the deductibles.). It’s like the straw that broke the camel’s back.

I don’t know anyone who only works for 8 hours a day. A lot of jobs if not most have to work extra which isn’t paid for. That’s kind of how it goes here in America. I don’t know anyone over the age of 25 who isn’t tired from work and life in general.

Those jobs pay a lot better than teaching positions.

Really? I know several restaurant managers making $60K working 12 hour days including weekends and holidays. I am an APS teacher. I know it’s hard work but I hate when teachers assume everyone else makes less money for fewer hours. It’s absolutely untrue. Many people take home work, work more than 40 hours and make less than we do. A good portion of them have advanced degrees too (including some of the people I know in hospitality!)

Do restaurant manager jobs require a college degree?

-parent who knows many people who don’t work nearly as hard and make significantly more than teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Duran is running this system into the ground. His departments aren't doing their jobs; some departments' jobs are even dubious; the departments are not coordinating or collaborating. APS is an absolute mess. I don't know how the SB can't see that.

The last sentence is spot on. Central office is a mess. They just add people and each new initiative just adds more to teachers’ plates. They keep making one mistake after another and the burden is placed on school staff. I am an experienced teacher in a hard to staff position. If I wanted to leave now I could get a job anywhere. I won’t because I don’t want to do that to my students and my principal, who I respect. But I made my decision. This is my last year in APS.


This could have been written by me... Syphax has been no support to teachers in the bldgs and truly just loading on the busy work to make themselves (bloated workforce, extra office space, etc.) seem necessary. Stop giving teachers more work! Go to the schools and see what is really going on, see how you can help in this massive crisis our school children are experiencing, help to reduce class size so teachers can better meet the needs of their students.
Duran should never have given Syphax staff those free days off with pay- how insulting to all the other workers in the system. Now, changing families' health insurance is just one more headache from APS. This is my last year, too, and I am not the only one in my bldg planning their departure.

I thought no new initiatives this year?

[Anonymous]

I thought no new initiatives this year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the person who keeps talking about my summer off… I wish you could be a fly on the wall for this past month. Do you have any idea how many additional hours we put in? I have worked every evening and weekend for the past month. I fell asleep at 7 last night because I’m so exhausted. I have more education than all of my Arlington neighbors who work from home, take long walks all day, make more than me, and then all tell me how “lucky” I am every summer. It is a choice I made, but it is not cushy. Have some respect. Or hey, join us… we can’t find enough people to do it, cushy gig that it is. Come and join the team.

The insurance thing does not affect me, but I can tell you that teachers in APS are quite rightfully upset. Duran gave all the central office staff an extra three weeks of vacation, and things are not getting done. There are basic things we need, many people that are supposed to support us, and our jobs have become much harder. Huge classes. No funding for field trips. No subs. Difficulty renewing licenses and getting supplies. All as this occurs, an expanding central office.

Now, you have teachers that will have to pay more for insurance. (Don’t just look at rates, look at the deductibles.). It’s like the straw that broke the camel’s back.

I don’t know anyone who only works for 8 hours a day. A lot of jobs if not most have to work extra which isn’t paid for. That’s kind of how it goes here in America. I don’t know anyone over the age of 25 who isn’t tired from work and life in general.

Those jobs pay a lot better than teaching positions.

Really? I know several restaurant managers making $60K working 12 hour days including weekends and holidays. I am an APS teacher. I know it’s hard work but I hate when teachers assume everyone else makes less money for fewer hours. It’s absolutely untrue. Many people take home work, work more than 40 hours and make less than we do. A good portion of them have advanced degrees too (including some of the people I know in hospitality!)

Do restaurant manager jobs require a college degree?

-parent who knows many people who don’t work nearly as hard and make significantly more than teachers.

Depends on the restaurant.
I’m not saying some people don’t make more money doing less but many teachers make the claim that no other job is as inflexible, works as much extra and that’s simply not true. It’s hard. Lots of jobs are hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the person who keeps talking about my summer off… I wish you could be a fly on the wall for this past month. Do you have any idea how many additional hours we put in? I have worked every evening and weekend for the past month. I fell asleep at 7 last night because I’m so exhausted. I have more education than all of my Arlington neighbors who work from home, take long walks all day, make more than me, and then all tell me how “lucky” I am every summer. It is a choice I made, but it is not cushy. Have some respect. Or hey, join us… we can’t find enough people to do it, cushy gig that it is. Come and join the team.

The insurance thing does not affect me, but I can tell you that teachers in APS are quite rightfully upset. Duran gave all the central office staff an extra three weeks of vacation, and things are not getting done. There are basic things we need, many people that are supposed to support us, and our jobs have become much harder. Huge classes. No funding for field trips. No subs. Difficulty renewing licenses and getting supplies. All as this occurs, an expanding central office.

Now, you have teachers that will have to pay more for insurance. (Don’t just look at rates, look at the deductibles.). It’s like the straw that broke the camel’s back.

I don’t know anyone who only works for 8 hours a day. A lot of jobs if not most have to work extra which isn’t paid for. That’s kind of how it goes here in America. I don’t know anyone over the age of 25 who isn’t tired from work and life in general.

Those jobs pay a lot better than teaching positions.

Really? I know several restaurant managers making $60K working 12 hour days including weekends and holidays. I am an APS teacher. I know it’s hard work but I hate when teachers assume everyone else makes less money for fewer hours. It’s absolutely untrue. Many people take home work, work more than 40 hours and make less than we do. A good portion of them have advanced degrees too (including some of the people I know in hospitality!)

Do restaurant manager jobs require a college degree?

-parent who knows many people who don’t work nearly as hard and make significantly more than teachers.

Depends on the restaurant.
I’m not saying some people don’t make more money doing less but many teachers make the claim that no other job is as inflexible, works as much extra and that’s simply not true. It’s hard. Lots of jobs are hard.

*etc, not extra

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the person who keeps talking about my summer off… I wish you could be a fly on the wall for this past month. Do you have any idea how many additional hours we put in? I have worked every evening and weekend for the past month. I fell asleep at 7 last night because I’m so exhausted. I have more education than all of my Arlington neighbors who work from home, take long walks all day, make more than me, and then all tell me how “lucky” I am every summer. It is a choice I made, but it is not cushy. Have some respect. Or hey, join us… we can’t find enough people to do it, cushy gig that it is. Come and join the team.

The insurance thing does not affect me, but I can tell you that teachers in APS are quite rightfully upset. Duran gave all the central office staff an extra three weeks of vacation, and things are not getting done. There are basic things we need, many people that are supposed to support us, and our jobs have become much harder. Huge classes. No funding for field trips. No subs. Difficulty renewing licenses and getting supplies. All as this occurs, an expanding central office.

Now, you have teachers that will have to pay more for insurance. (Don’t just look at rates, look at the deductibles.). It’s like the straw that broke the camel’s back.

I don’t know anyone who only works for 8 hours a day. A lot of jobs if not most have to work extra which isn’t paid for. That’s kind of how it goes here in America. I don’t know anyone over the age of 25 who isn’t tired from work and life in general.

Those jobs pay a lot better than teaching positions.

Really? I know several restaurant managers making $60K working 12 hour days including weekends and holidays. I am an APS teacher. I know it’s hard work but I hate when teachers assume everyone else makes less money for fewer hours. It’s absolutely untrue. Many people take home work, work more than 40 hours and make less than we do. A good portion of them have advanced degrees too (including some of the people I know in hospitality!)

Do restaurant manager jobs require a college degree?

-parent who knows many people who don’t work nearly as hard and make significantly more than teachers.

Depends on the restaurant.
I’m not saying some people don’t make more money doing less but many teachers make the claim that no other job is as inflexible, works as much extra and that’s simply not true. It’s hard. Lots of jobs are hard.

I haven’t heard any teachers say that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the person who keeps talking about my summer off… I wish you could be a fly on the wall for this past month. Do you have any idea how many additional hours we put in? I have worked every evening and weekend for the past month. I fell asleep at 7 last night because I’m so exhausted. I have more education than all of my Arlington neighbors who work from home, take long walks all day, make more than me, and then all tell me how “lucky” I am every summer. It is a choice I made, but it is not cushy. Have some respect. Or hey, join us… we can’t find enough people to do it, cushy gig that it is. Come and join the team.

The insurance thing does not affect me, but I can tell you that teachers in APS are quite rightfully upset. Duran gave all the central office staff an extra three weeks of vacation, and things are not getting done. There are basic things we need, many people that are supposed to support us, and our jobs have become much harder. Huge classes. No funding for field trips. No subs. Difficulty renewing licenses and getting supplies. All as this occurs, an expanding central office.

Now, you have teachers that will have to pay more for insurance. (Don’t just look at rates, look at the deductibles.). It’s like the straw that broke the camel’s back.

I don’t know anyone who only works for 8 hours a day. A lot of jobs if not most have to work extra which isn’t paid for. That’s kind of how it goes here in America. I don’t know anyone over the age of 25 who isn’t tired from work and life in general.

Those jobs pay a lot better than teaching positions.

Really? I know several restaurant managers making $60K working 12 hour days including weekends and holidays. I am an APS teacher. I know it’s hard work but I hate when teachers assume everyone else makes less money for fewer hours. It’s absolutely untrue. Many people take home work, work more than 40 hours and make less than we do. A good portion of them have advanced degrees too (including some of the people I know in hospitality!)

Do restaurant manager jobs require a college degree?

-parent who knows many people who don’t work nearly as hard and make significantly more than teachers.

Depends on the restaurant.
I’m not saying some people don’t make more money doing less but many teachers make the claim that no other job is as inflexible, works as much extra and that’s simply not true. It’s hard. Lots of jobs are hard.

I haven’t heard any teachers say that.

I see it all the time on here and in educator’s groups. Just a few posts up that basically says only healthcare and teachers have it this rough. It’s out of touch