Wednesday, October 12, 2011
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31 comments:
WOW, at initial comparative glance with individual plan purchasing without county contributions it seems unless your are single with no dependents you'd be better off buying a plan yourself with bcbs of Ga. What a racket Dekalb has become. I remember the best Cigna coverage with $10.00 deductibles costing $20.00 a pay period not long ago. That same coverage is over $600.00 now? Dekalb Govt has really evolved into a scammers heaven it seems.
I am so disgusted with everything. I hate Kaiser, but I really have no choice. I can't afford anything else. Our contributions keep going up and we still have not seen a raise to offset the high cost of living. I feel like I have to pay the county to work here instead of me being paid to work for them.
I am so fed up. And one more thing, DEKALB Whipping Boy go shove it too. You know who I am...
It would be interesting to see the BOC plans and rates. I imagine they are VASTLY different than the mere peasants they allegedly serve. LET THEM EAT CAKE...
Glad I have another option... I'll be purchasing health insurance elsewhere. My days are numbered at Dekalb. I'll take the years of training and experience elsewhere.
Damn....don't they know I'm on a "fixed income"?.... my take home pay at Dekalb doesn't change and it doesn't look like it will change for a LONG time.
To the other jurisdictions in the area: experienced Dekalb officers a ripe for the picking!
One of the main reasons for higher health care is Dekalb's ability to pay their premiums. If the county falls behind on their ability to pay for the premiums, it makes the insurance rates higher. When a government agency has lousy credit (such as Dekalb)the cost of doing business gets higher and higher because the cost of credit increases. Couple this with the low interest rates on savings and wow!!! Everything that the county buys goes thru the roof cost wise.
To make the matter worse, when the government agency is run by a bunch inept parasite idiots, the cost gets more and more.
Going to work in Dekalb County Government these days is just as bad as knocking your head against a stone wall as there is no benefit to that. So put on your heavy duty cushioned helmets and start knocking !!!
I'd like to know if BOC elite get the same rates as the rest of us bums.
Anon7, that is an interesting question. I will make some inquiries tomorrow.
Best of luck, guys!
KenC
http://www.championnewspaper.com/news/articles/1128dekalb-seeks-moratorium-on-new-cities1128.html
Please find the BOC insurance rates and expose them.
"http://www.championnewspaper.com/news/articles/1128dekalb-seeks-moratorium-on-new-cities1128.html
October 13, 2011 10:26 PM"
................
Annon @1026....Commissiones Radar and surely the other BOC members seem to realize how important the police services are when it comes to throwing us out as "CHUM" to get his way,but he and they do not seem to realize our value to the citizens of Dekalb County on an every day basis. The fact is the that the police department does all the damn dirty work for the county and get's no respect. They would really appreciate us it we were not here for a couple of day's wouldn't they...HINT ! What would they do about it if we really fought back..not like us? Tht aspect is already obvious.
Retirees should organize, chip in and hire an attorney to represent them. God knows, nobody else does.
I made inquiries and have been informed by several people who would know about such things and have made their own inquiries or know the facts, and they report there is NO executive health benefit for the CEO, BOC or their staffs.
There is enough discontent among the employees without adding to the problem with false rumors.
I also suggest that rumors like this could be stopped cold before they get started with some adult two-way communications between the CEO/BOC and the employees.
In my opinion;
I find it ridiculous that the DeKalb CEO/BOC won't even tour county facilities or departments to see the working conditions or discuss the employee issues.
The fact is, that the 6 "progressive" Democrats management of the county employees borders between asinine and elitist and the same old "Be glad you have a job" attitude is not an appropriate or dignified response to the employees low salaries and benefits from a bunch of hypocritical labor loving progressives.
My opinionated opinion,
Best of luck, guys!
KenC
Would be real interesting to find out what the BOC and CEO are paying for their insurance??????
LoFlyer (Ken) is correct. There isn't any different medical plan for the executive staff. Since our plans are so costly, I wonder if they're covered under their spouse's plan though.
If you're young, healthy, and single, you might get a better deal on your own completely outside the County's group plan.
Part of the reason our group plan rates are so costly is the employees who make up the plan. Are most of them healthy, or are most of them using all sorts of medical services and prescriptions. Just take a guess why our rates are so high (and it's not because of us employees who look out for our health).
The problem is that none of the "big shots" from Congress clear on down gives a damn about the taxpayers; the hard working employees; the little guy; the Seniors or anyone else but their corporation buddies and the under the table "gifts" they receive. This includes Republicans and Democrats. My son is a police officer in Ohio and he said they consider themselves very fortunate to have higher ups that truly care about them and other employees. This country is going to see a revolution that they cannot control if this b*** s*** don't stop and their corporate buddies won't be able to save their a**.
You know how the County tells you that they pay 70% of the premiums and we pay 30% in reference to our health care plan costs. Im sure that Im not alone when I say that is a steaming bag of dog s#@t lie!
Im a single guy that is paying around $120 a month to Kaiser for individual coverage. If $120.00 is 30% of the premium, then doing some good old math tells me that the overall cost of the plan is $400 and the county is paying $280.00 or 70%.
I called Kaiser earlier in the year. They told me that a comparable individual plan if purchased on my own would be around $200.00 a month (give or take a little). That is only $80.00 more per month than what I pay now. The cost for the individual plan is SIGNIFICANTLY less than what the calculations show what the plan is costing through the county, provided that they are telling the truth about the 70% they are paying towards healthcare costs.
Those of us with a brain know that there is no way that a bloated county workforce such as DeKalb, with 7000 plus employees are getting such crummy rates for healthcare plans. Someone or many someones pockets are getting filled with kickback money.
Rancid Food For Thought
-Anon 1118
There doesn't seem to be many innovative superviors at Dekalb. My agency has a program that is extremely effective. It has supervisors serve in the position of their subordinates twice monthly so that they have first hand experience and knowledge of the needs as well as the problems occurring under their supervision. I think this is somewhat standard these days so something to seriously consider.
Hey I dont care about the people who retired. I dont see them coming to the aid of of the current employees who are writing their checks. Hell let them all go to Grady they are retired with nothing better to do. After all DeKalb pays millions to Grady they might as well get something in return.
The problem with screwing the retirees is that the county has stolen their services. DeKalb paid and the employee put up with low wages for 20 or 30 years knowing at the end there was the benefit of a decent retirement and health benefits. Now that the county has taken their services at a discounted rate for all those years, they're going back on the deal with the retirees.
Let this type of thing happen to the retirees and see what happens to us actives. Also, will anybody actually want to stay at DeKalb and retire if you know that down the line, you'll just get screwed?!
The county does pay 70% but only towards the Kaiser plan. If anybody had attended some of the commission meetings and committee meetings, they had handouts that showed the percentage contributions by employees and the county for various options. Most of the other plans contribute between 60% and 70% from the county.
The reason the plans are so expensive is because our entire employee population is unhealthy and use a lot of benefits. This drives up the cost for everybody.
As a healthy person who must do our fitness tests, I'm not the one causing our health care premiums to go up. All these people who are sloths and are on 15 different drugs, or who have family members who use a lot of health care and meds are costing me a lot more in my premiums.
To the poster who says us retirees need to go to Grady. You'll be retired one day. I wouldn't wish that upon you. I etied from dekalb and paid my fair share along the way.
Footing the bill....the retired employees served their time unlike you. They have to pay alot higher premiums than you. So i guess when you are able to retire, we should say the hell with all the time you served an sorry, you are on your own.
Anon 7:24...you can thank Obama care for higher premiums. Count your blessings that you are healthy but there are unfortunate ones that are not.
We could learn from this
http://www.ajc.com/news/gwinnett/gwinnett-expects-to-save-1200357.html
To the one who posted retirees should go to Grady. You pissant, you probably haven't even been there long enough to bitch about anything, yet you throw your two cents in thinking you are impressing someone. Just hope it doesn't come back and bite you in the butt. If it does, you'll probably deserve it with the dumbass statements like you make.
all you new guys (even ones on old plan) are getting screwed with the pension. if you decide to stay in law enforcement in ga., i hope you are making plans to supplement your income IF you get to retire. if not, YOU may be sitting on the chairs at GRADY. yes, we all are going to have pay more for everything, who isn't? we did our time when policing was fun and had good supervisors. just prepare yourself cuz because 25 or 30 years goes reeeeeal fast. when its your time to leave, YOU may depend on food stamps or counting on the lottery. WE got lucky when the county made the big payout to leave. That scenario will never happen again. deferrred comp. AND POAB is a must !
Today I picked up the 2011 EEO-4 reports (That I will publish once I have analysed) and I did discuss the proposed pension health benefits and the motives driving the proposed reduction in pension health benefits with someone who knows about such things.
The costs of overall health benefits is 50 million a year, the pension benefits about 40 million a year, so we are talking about 90 million a year the county is paying just for health and pension benefits, with a budget of just under 600 million just the benefits are like 17 percent of the total budget and when you add in the employees salaries of 60 million or so the cost of salaries and benefits is 25 percent of the county's total budget. The commissioners think that the percentage is way too high. That is the motive for the commissioners drive to reduce pension and health benefits.
On reducing the health benefits for the retirees, the background; sometime in the 90's the pension system was changed to include vesting of employees at three years into the pension plan and being allowed to retire at 65 years age, with the full health benefits allowed to the retirees. Apparently there have been a considerable number of employees who have made use of the plan and retired after just a few years with the full retiree health benefits that was previously only available to to the employees after 10 years service.
I personally knew two employees who did exactly that, they had previously retired from another job and came to work for the county for a few years and once vested after three retired at 65 and picked up on the full health benefits allowed to the retirees.
Once the commissioners realized what was going on, they did not like they did not like the idea of the county paying full health benefits for employees that only served the county for three years rather than the usual 20-30 years service with DeKalb government.
This proposal in reduced pension health benefits is designed to address the issue of retirees with low service time with county, the long-term employees health benefits will be honored and not reduced.
But the retirees who retired with something like 3-10 years will see a significant reduction in their health benefits subsidies. The number I heard was like a reduction to 50 percent for the low-time retirees. I also understand there might also be a reduction in health subsidies to the mid-time 10-20 year employees, something like a 10 percent reduction, 20-30 year employees would see no reduction in health benefits.
That is my current understanding of the proposed retirement health benefits reduction proposal, if any of you HR types know differently, feel free to correct me.
My personal opinion on the issue:
I believe that all must pay their fair share, from taxes to the pension plan. I agree with commissioners on this particular issue. I do not believe a low-time retiree who contributed only 3-10 years should receive the same health benefits as a 20-30 year employee that gave the best part of their lives to the county.
The problem is that once politicians gain an inch, they take a mile. DeKalb politicians are notorious for screwing the employees at every opportunity. The employees and retirees have seen too much BS to trust the current CEO/BOC.
My opinionated opinion!
PS. One last thing, I had a great time today, I met many of my old co-workers and they seemed as glad to see me, as I of them.
Y'all are a great bunch of guys and gals! The commissioners may not appreciate your efforts, but the citizens and myself do.
Best of luck, guys!
KenC
Lo Flyer. Many thanks for the health plan information. That about the early retirees was very interesting. I also remember Dr Bell once saying at a BOC meeting that people were getting onto the health program who should not be there. I am sure that the package he wrote for the buyout retirees, including himself, was at least adequate.
Maybe the employees are getting screwed by the politicos. I can't tell for sure because I have never seen the pay and benefits numbers of DKC versus other counties. I seem to remember that in the last year of Vernon's administration that Commissioner Rader did a study that showed that DKC was close to the top. That may have changed, but I just do not know.
Main problem with the County is that there are still too many employees. That will not change. The CEO and BOC looked at the GSU study and sort of smiled and winked.
As a taxpayer who lives in North DK and whose property assessment has not been reduced from its 2007 inflated value, how do you think that I feel about getting screwed by the Decatur Desperadoes. The recent 4.5 mil tax increase was a large and bitter pill. Most probably more will be coming next year.
Looking forward to seeing the EEO-4 info. Do not see that many Asians (5% of County pop) and Hispanics (10%) at Maloof.
DeKalb County has historically raised health insurANCE COSTS every time the employees got a raise.
The retirees are getting a 3.5% S.S. raise and our insurance rates go up. DUH!
Remember when Maloof said that they couldn't pay police and firemen overtime "Because there are just too damn many of them"?DeKalb is the best? THEY LIED !
To the poster on October 17 at 724pm
So you went to a county meeting or two and the county handed you a sheet with some figures that they say they pay in regards to health costs and you believe them?
Lay off the kool aid man!
If you still believe anything the county tells you then you are a fool...especially when it comes to money
There is one exception though....
If the people running the county came out and said "we been taking money", then that is one statement everybody should believe
-Anon 1118
Shout out to "M gone and happy"
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