Walgreens - The first of many to move employee health insurance to exchanges.

[MountainPharmD]

---

Members do not see this ad.

www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-18/walgreen-joins-in-exodus-of-workers-to-private-exchanges.html

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-09/ge-to-ibm-ending-retiree-health-plans-in-historic-shift.html

Woo! Hoo! The unintended consequences of Obama-care keep rolling in! Couple this with companies shifting workers to part time no benefits status to avoid the employer insurance mandate and we have good times ahead!

 

[BMBiology]

The main purpose of Obamacare is to reduce cost, not to expand healthcare. That is why it is laughable to think Obamacare will create jobs for pharmacists. It is almost here. Where are the jobs?

 

[grumps]

This is the final stage of when healthcare prices itself out of the market. The middlemen are killing the goose laying the golden eggs. In the end the offer will have to meet the bid. The real bid from unsubsidized consumers. This does not bode well for healthcare worker future income. The money pie will get much smaller.

 

[xiphoid2010]

Surprise surprise, company saw another opportunity to cut cost and took it.

 

[npage148]

I love it when corporations use current news and laws as a scapegoat to slash and cut. Don't blame walgreens' CEO for being a scumbag with no morals, blame our Muslim President

 

[clerkmaxwell]

This is the final stage of when healthcare prices itself out of the market. The middlemen are killing the goose laying dem gizzolden eggs. In the end the offer will have to meet the bid. The real bid from unsubsidized consumers. This does not bode well for healthcare worker future income. The money pie will get much smaller.

....blame our Muslim President

Damn insightful thar Captain 'Murica! But you don't need healthcare, you has the Jeebus.

 

[type b pharmD]

I love it! The beginning of the end starts now

I predict single payer within 10 years. Just like Obama and Pelosi (and myself) wanted.

 

[deleted437652]

While the private effort isn't directly linked to Obamacare...

"For a while, large employers have been moving in this direction," said Thomas Buchmueller...

Michael Polzin, a spokesman for Deerfield, Illinois-based Walgreen, denied that his company's move was driven by the Affordable Care Act's 2010 passage and provisions, saying, "It's something we've been looking at very closely in the last couple years...

So, how is this tied back to the ACA? Granted, you can't take everyone at their word, but pretty much everyone in the article refutes the notion that this is due to the ACA.

 

[Unchained]

I love it when corporations use current news and laws as a scapegoat to slash and cut. Don't blame walgreens' CEO for being a scumbag with no morals, blame our Muslim President

I'm certain Walgreens CEO is a scumbag but there is probably a good reason Congress opted themselves out of Obamacare and Unions are getting exemptions. Don't tell me Obamacare is not the reason companies are reducing workers hours to part time. It's easy to blame Obummer when he is one of our worst presidents. Don't expect to hear that from the liberal media. They're too busy promoting gun control and gay marriage.

 

[kvl1027]

I'm certain Walgreens CEO is a scumbag but there is probably a good reason Congress opted themselves out of Obamacare and Unions are getting exemptions. Don't tell me Obamacare is not the reason companies are reducing workers hours to part time. It's easy to blame Obummer when he is one of our worst presidents. Don't expect to hear that from the liberal media. They're too busy promoting gun control and gay marriage.

What was the excuse when companies were reducing full-time workers to part-time before Obama was ever the president? What was the reasoning companies laid-off long term employees to re-hire younger employees willing to do the same job for less? This is not a new corporate practice and it was happening way before healthcare reform. Wake up!

 

[Unchained]

What was the excuse when companies were reducing full-time workers to part-time before Obama was ever the president? What was the reasoning companies laid-off long term employees to re-hire younger employees willing to do the same job for less? This is not a new corporate practice and it was happening way before healthcare reform. Wake up!

The excuse is that our corporations are heavily taxed and regulated. Our gov't needs to take from them so they can finance the never ending wars.

 

[Ackj]

What was the excuse when companies were reducing full-time workers to part-time before Obama was ever the president? What was the reasoning companies laid-off long term employees to re-hire younger employees willing to do the same job for less? This is not a new corporate practice and it was happening way before healthcare reform. Wake up!

Before Obama was when they were blaming Bush for being one of the worst presidents.

 

[WhiteSnows]

If 53% of american pay taxes, there won't be any problem anymore.

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

If 53% of american pay taxes, there won't be any problem anymore.

All American pay taxes... sales tax, village tax, city tax, state tax, property tax, payroll taxes (disability, medicare, SS, etc...) Personally, I agree with Warren Buffet and other prominent successful guys. Hedge fund managers who gets most of their income from capital gains taxed at 20 percent should be paying more than my technician who makes 7.90 an hour and have to pay 9 cents for his Arizona.

 

[Unchained]

All American pay taxes... sales tax, village tax, city tax, state tax, property tax, payroll taxes (disability, medicare, SS, etc...) Personally, I agree with Warren Buffet and other prominent successful guys. Hedge fund managers who gets most of their income from capital gains taxed at 20 percent should be paying more than my technician who makes 7.90 an hour and have to pay 9 cents for his Arizona.

That's the liberal solution. Tax our way out of a problem. We can be just like Europe. It can't be a spending problem now can it? Don't listen to Warren in regards to taxation. If he wants to give away more of his money he can write the gov't a check.

 

[BidingMyTime]

Don't blame walgreens' CEO for being a scumbag with no morals, blame our Muslim President

Even if Obama is a Muslim (he says he's not, and I see no reason not to believe him), what does that have to do with his political views?

I disagree with many of Obama's political views, but I can't stand when people disparage him because of his religion or lack of religion, his race, his ancestry, his political party, etc.----not only does that stuff has ZERO to do with his political positions, it also unfairly lumps in people in those categories as supporting Obama's political views. Plus, it turns people off from listening to rational arguments against specific political views. Calling Obama names does nothing to educate or convince anyone to change their point of view--rational discussion such as "I am concerned about the new health exchanges because...." might.

 

[lorain]

I love it when corporations use current news and laws as a scapegoat to slash and cut. Don't blame walgreens' CEO for being a scumbag with no morals, blame our Muslim President

what does religion have to do with anything

 

[xiphoid2010]

Even if Obama is a Muslim (he says he's not, and I see no reason not to believe him), what does that have to do with his political views?

I disagree with many of Obama's political views, but I can't stand when people disparage him because of his religion or lack of religion, his race, his ancestry, his political party, etc.----not only does that stuff has ZERO to do with his political positions, it also unfairly lumps in people in those categories as supporting Obama's political views. Plus, it turns people off from listening to rational arguments against specific political views. Calling Obama names does nothing to educate or convince anyone to change their point of view--rational discussion such as "I am concerned about the new health exchanges because...." might.

Those things you mentioned (religion, ancestry etc) can have a major effect on a person's value system and hence the policies a powerful person pushes. We can't say just how much it influenced each issue, but I would guess he would pursue a different course if he was an atheist chinese communist for example,

 

[grumps]

It doesn't matter if Obama or Romney was Prez. Our visible govt is controlled behind the scenes. ACA was going to get crammed down our threats no matter what. It's so much more than HC "reform", it's the foreclosure on our society.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=JvxIz-gyHXE

 

[Sparda29]

I love it when corporations use current news and laws as a scapegoat to slash and cut. Don't blame walgreens' CEO for being a scumbag with no morals, blame our Muslim President

What does that have to do with anything? Either way, I'm pretty sure you don't have to tell anyone what your religion is when running for office and I'm pretty sure you're allowed to lie about your religion (I'd do it to get elected).

 

[GodsSon2011]

I'm certain Walgreens CEO is a scumbag but there is probably a good reason Congress opted themselves out of Obamacare and Unions are getting exemptions. Don't tell me Obamacare is not the reason companies are reducing workers hours to part time. It's easy to blame Obummer when he is one of our worst presidents. Don't expect to hear that from the liberal media. They're too busy promoting gun control and gay marriage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hfYJsQAhl0

 

[BidingMyTime]

Those things you mentioned (religion, ancestry etc) can have a major effect on a person's value system and hence the policies a powerful person pushes. We can't say just how much it influenced each issue, but I would guess he would pursue a different course if he was an atheist chinese communist for example,

CAN is the key word....not all atheists think alike, not all Chinese think alike, not all communists think alike, and certainly not all Muslims think alike. It's disparaging for people to make assumptions on what they think somebody should be thinking based on their religion, ethnicity, political associations, etc.

And its completely unnecessary, it doesn't matter what factors influenced Obama to the current views he holds--who cares if it was his religion that influenced him, or his mother, or whatnot. The only pertinent point are the current views he holds and whether or not there are rational arguments against those views.

 

[xiphoid2010]

CAN is the key word....not all atheists think alike, not all Chinese think alike, not all communists think alike, and certainly not all Muslims think alike. It's disparaging for people to make assumptions on what they think somebody should be thinking based on their religion, ethnicity, political associations, etc.

And its completely unnecessary, it doesn't matter what factors influenced Obama to the current views he holds--who cares if it was his religion that influenced him, or his mother, or whatnot. The only pertinent point are the current views he holds and whether or not there are rational arguments against those views.

I think some people are overly PC. Without making some generalization or stereotypes, nobody would be able to say anything without trailing a billion exceptions.

And many people care what is a persons motivation behind a course of action. For example, If a politician wants to push for lighter criminal sentences, I would certainly be interested if its his own past or a family member that's driving it or is it simply due to federal budget deficit. And my response will be dependent on that. Communists and capitalists at times have allied together historically pursuing the same course (eg, WW2), but understanding the motivation behind the hugs and kisses at the time would have prepared us better for the cold war.

It is wiser to analyze the causes than the obvious surfaces.

 

[PharmEcon]

www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-18/walgreen-joins-in-exodus-of-workers-to-private-exchanges.html

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-09/ge-to-ibm-ending-retiree-health-plans-in-historic-shift.html

Woo! Hoo! The unintended consequences of Obama-care keep rolling in! Couple this with companies shifting workers to part time no benefits status to avoid the employer insurance mandate and we have good times ahead!

I think a lot of people on both sides of the issue will tell you that ESI is still very inefficient, but was something that could not be taken out in order for the bill to pass. Whether or not you are pro-Obamacare, I think everyone agrees there are still changes that need to be made.

 

[croquemonsieur]

npage was being facetious. obviously. (you saw the GIF, right?)

 

[npage148]

npage was being facetious. obviously. (you saw the GIF, right?)

Shhh, let them keep going. It's funny

 

[owlegrad]

I didn't get the GIF.

 

[owlegrad]

I think some people are overly PC. Without making some generalization or stereotypes, nobody would be able to say anything without trailing a billion exceptions.

And many people care what is a persons motivation behind a course of action. For example, If a politician wants to push for lighter criminal sentences, I would certainly be interested if its his own past or a family member that's driving it or is it simply due to federal budget deficit. And my response will be dependent on that. Communists and capitalists at times have allied together historically pursuing the same course (eg, WW2), but understanding the motivation behind the hugs and kisses at the time would have prepared us better for the cold war.

It is wiser to analyze the causes than the obvious surfaces.

I don't think I understand that comment. So for example you might support a call for lighter sentences if it was budget related but you wouldn't support the same bill if you thought it had some ulterior motive behind it?

Maybe I am thinking of it differently, but in general I either support a particular policy or I do not. The motive behind the policy cannot really be determined anyway, can it? Politicians will always spin it anyway they can and your guess is as good as mine for the "true" reason behind any particular bill.

 

[xiphoid2010]

I don't think I understand that comment. So for example you might support a call for lighter sentences if it was budget related but you wouldn't support the same bill if you thought it had some ulterior motive behind it?

e.g if it was due to personal reasons, I would reject it outright as it's not a rational argument to go easy on criminals. If it was due to budget deficit, I would be open to examinations and negotiations. And if there was truly no way to come up with the money, the I would be willing to accept the bill because it's based on hard facts.

Maybe I am thinking of it differently, but in general I either support a particular policy or I do not. The motive behind the policy cannot really be determined anyway, can it? Politicians will always spin it anyway they can and your guess is as good as mine for the "true" reason behind any particular bill.

That's why you never just accept a politicians word at face value. They will always try to spin it in a way to try to gain your support. I for one would try to analyze and arrive at my own conclusions, and to do that informatively by at least try to see what forces behind the scene is really driving them. And religion, ancestry, race, all can play a role it it all. Things shouldn't be barred from scrutiny just because it's not "politically correct" now a days. And that applies to republicans, democrats, chinese communists. I'm an equal opportunity non-PC analyzer.

 

[knight on horse]

Lol leave this board for a week or two and it melts down

But dark times do indeed lie ahead

 

[Sosumi]

I don't get this "sky is falling" panic. It just means that Walgreens is letting their employees choose their own coverage through the exchanges while still paying part of their premiums. Most employer based insurance already is the same way except they have to negotiate the coverage options for you.

At least now my part time techs who can't afford the part time health insurance the company offers nor qualify for Medicaid might be able to purchase affordable health insurance.

 

[mursepharmd]

Anyone who fully don't comprehend the change will be of course fearful which is a rational response. Walgreens is not completely going to drop coverage for employees but they are subsidizing the cost (they are only doing this for 120-160k total employees -their total employee number is 240,000 per their website). My guess is they are doing this for the retail side of their business not pharmacy or corporate.

Health insurance is one of the many reasons a company promotes loyalty and they would never just completely drop coverage and opt to pay the fine.I mean health insurance was not mandatory before ACA and there was no fine to not have health insurance yet they still offered it. The CEO saw a cost cutting move and hopefully this decision doesnt affect loyalty and productivity in a negative way.

 

[owlegrad]

Health insurance is one of the many reasons a company promotes loyalty and they would never just completely drop coverage and opt to pay the fine.I mean health insurance was not mandatory before ACA and there was no fine to not have health insurance yet they still offered it. The CEO saw a cost cutting move and hopefully this decision doesnt affect loyalty and productivity in a negative way.

Lies. Every bad thing in healthcare or in general is because of Obamacare. Don't drink the liberal Koolaid!

 

[mursepharmd]

Lies. Every bad thing in healthcare or in general is because of Obamacare. Don't drink the liberal Koolaid!

I dont but I am rational. Obamacare hasnt even begun and you're blaming it for everything bad in healthcare. Romneycare has been implemented in MA for years and it has worked successfully, and Romneycare is the model for Obamacare. You are like Senator Cruz, delusional and irrational. I should actually thank that people like you exist because we would have a another democratic president for 8 more years

 

[owlegrad]

I dont but I am rational. Obamacare hasnt even begun and you're blaming it for everything bad in healthcare. Romneycare has been implemented in MA for years and it has worked successfully, and Romneycare is the model for Obamacare. You are like Senator Cruz, delusional and irrational. I should actually thank that people like you exist because we would have a another democratic president for 8 more years

But but but CEOs are blaming Obamacare. It MUST be the cause!

 

[rph3664]

Muslim President

The Constitution has a few things to say about this. At some time between the Lewinsky hearings and 9/11, I heard a commentator respectfully say on a Christian TV station that we may one day have a president who faces Mecca 5 times a day. In that time, we nearly (should have?) elected a Jewish vice president. And I don't think Obama's a Muslim anyway; IMNSHO, he's what's known as a nominal Christian.

That said, Walgreens has been pulling this crap for as long as I've been in the pharmacy business, which is nearly as long as some of you have been alive. 😳 The ACA is just an excuse.

My BFF was fired from Walgreens just before Christmas last year, and we were just chatting online and we agreed that they did him a bigger favor than he could have ever imagined, especially because he has 3 kids. They said he didn't meet metrics, but how could they expect him to do that when they had him working at a different store every day?

My biggest concern about ACA at this time is that some people who are on Medicare or any other insurance think they have to purchase "Obamacare" insurance on top of it, and that unscrupulous (no pun intended) insurance companies will take advantage of this. 😡 Even though many people need this, we're just not ready yet.

p.s. My parents, who get all their news from Faux Noize, were concerned that they would HAVE to see the doctor at specified intervals and get this or that test or procedure. Nope, doesn't work that way. It just says that it has to be covered if you do it.

 

[rph3664]

What was the excuse when companies were reducing full-time workers to part-time before Obama was ever the president? What was the reasoning companies laid-off long term employees to re-hire younger employees willing to do the same job for less? This is not a new corporate practice and it was happening way before healthcare reform. Wake up!

I worked at Target when I was a teenager, and pretty much the only employees who worked full time (and therefore got bennies) were management. This was in the early 1980s, before they went nationwide.

They also didn't have pharmacies for most of that time, either. Ours closed shortly after I started working there; it was just a little cubbyhole, and I also remember the first time I ever rang up a vial of insulin. It would have been one of those old animal insulins (Humulin didn't come out until 1983) and I thought the price was wrong because it was $6.28. No, I wasn't a pharmacist yet, nor had I decided I wanted to be one, but I knew what insulin was for and figured that something that important would be, like, $300 a vial or something.

 

[rph3664]

Lies. Every bad thing in healthcare or in general is because of Obamacare. Don't drink the liberal Koolaid!

I lost my old job in 2010 just a few weeks after the ACA was passed. Several people asked me at this time if this was why. 🙄

ETA: Just remembered something. I heard from several former co-workers that in 2011, the hospital got an insurance plan that was so bad, many employees were dropping their employer-sponsored coverage and purchasing their own plans. It was one of those plans that had percentage deductibles, instead of a flat dollar amount, so people never knew how much they would have to pay OOP.

 

[rxlea]

Harrowing.

 

[pezdispenser]

Anyone who fully don't comprehend the change will be of course fearful which is a rational response. Walgreens is not completely going to drop coverage for employees but they are subsidizing the cost (they are only doing this for 120-160k total employees -their total employee number is 240,000 per their website). My guess is they are doing this for the retail side of their business not pharmacy or corporate.

Health insurance is one of the many reasons a company promotes loyalty and they would never just completely drop coverage and opt to pay the fine.I mean health insurance was not mandatory before ACA and there was no fine to not have health insurance yet they still offered it. The CEO saw a cost cutting move and hopefully this decision doesnt affect loyalty and productivity in a negative way.

I'm hoping they will still subsidize about $3,900, which is how much they are paying for my health insurance this year.

The gap from 120-160k to 240k employees is probably the part-time employees < 30 hrs (cashiers, techs, etc), who do not get employer health insurance now, and still won't next year. As far as I know, pharmacy and corporate all have the same health insurance.

I believe they are doing this to limit the company's contribution to rising insurance premiums. From my records, in 2011 they subsidized $3k, but then in 2012 it jumped to $3,750 which was a 25% increase. Probably from now on, the subsidy will only increase with the inflation rate.

 

[STLclinical16]

this was NOT COOL for my express scripts stock

 

[MountainPharmD]

I dont but I am rational. Obamacare hasnt even begun and you're blaming it for everything bad in healthcare. Romneycare has been implemented in MA for years and it has worked successfully, and Romneycare is the model for Obamacare. You are like Senator Cruz, delusional and irrational. I should actually thank that people like you exist because we would have a another democratic president for 8 more years

Sorry...WRONG. Provisions of the ACA took effect very shortly after the Supreme Court approved it in June of 2010.

Romneycare is far from a success in Massachusetts.

We will have another democrat for president because the country is full of idiots.

 

[mursepharmd]

Sorry...WRONG. Provisions of the ACA took effect very shortly after the Supreme Court approved it in June of 2010.

How does this explain what's wrong in healthcare today? You think all these provisions in 3 years caused this compared to the many years the for profit healthcare did before the ACA ?

Romneycare is far from a success in Massachusetts.

Oh really? Google is your friend:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2012/01/20/romney-care-massachusetts-healthcare-reform/
http://www.factcheck.org/2011/03/romneycare-facts-and-falsehoods/
http://newsatjama.jama.com/2012/10/31/the-massachusetts-health-care-reform-experiment-a-success/
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/romneycare-massachusetts-years/story?id=16614522

We will have another democrat for president because the country is full of idiots.

Your opinion doesnt carry much weight since you're republican.

Common man, you can do better than this. Give me some doom and gloom opinions that people will believe

 

[Old]

I'm certain Walgreens CEO is a scumbag but there is probably a good reason Congress opted themselves out of Obamacare and Unions are getting exemptions. Don't tell me Obamacare is not the reason companies are reducing workers hours to part time. It's easy to blame Obummer when he is one of our worst presidents. Don't expect to hear that from the liberal media. They're too busy promoting gun control and gay marriage.

Yes, I am sure Obamacare is the reason that for YEARS many, many companies would only offer part time employment to people. We know they all care about employees and want them to have a good living wage with healthcare and great benefits. Probably why work is shifted to China and India and profits are kept in other countries to avoid paying tax on them. Its all because of obamacare. They must have know 20 years ago it was coming. Its all because of obamacare. Seriously??

 

[Unchained]

Yes, I am sure Obamacare is the reason that for YEARS many, many companies would only offer part time employment to people. We know they all care about employees and want them to have a good living wage with healthcare and great benefits. Probably why work is shifted to China and India and profits are kept in other countries to avoid paying tax on them. Its all because of obamacare. They must have know 20 years ago it was coming. Its all because of obamacare. Seriously??

Obamacare was just the last straw. The gov't has created this unfriendly business environment thru taxes, regulation and political dysfunction. This started decades ago. The BRICS are going thru their industrial revolution. Eventually their workers will become fed up with low wages and will do something about it.

 

[knight on horse]

Yes, I am sure Obamacare is the reason that for YEARS many, many companies would only offer part time employment to people. We know they all care about employees and want them to have a good living wage with healthcare and great benefits. Probably why work is shifted to China and India and profits are kept in other countries to avoid paying tax on them. Its all because of obamacare. They must have know 20 years ago it was coming. Its all because of obamacare. Seriously??

Actually, it really is part of the same plan.

Replace the middle class with serfs

 

[pezdispenser]

The private health exchange is now open, and it seems ok. Once again, this is not an Obamacare exchange, though it looks very similar. There are three insurers in my area--Aetna, United and BCBS, and five levels of coverage--Bronze, Bronze Plus, Silver, Gold, Platinum. The employer provides a $4,020 credit towards the premiums. The cheapest bronze plan has a $2,750 deductible and costs $13.29 per two week paycheck (after employer credit). Our employer gives us a few hundred dollars each year in a HRA to use towards the deductible and out-of-pocket expenses after completing a cholesterol check and health survey. This money can roll over from year to year. The Platinum plans do not have deductibles but cost $101-139 per paycheck.

 

[genesis09]

The premiums vary by where you live. The cheapest one for me is UHC Bronze at $15.33. The platinum plans in my area range from $123-198 per pay period. The cheapest Silver plan with a $1500 deductible costs $31 per pay period. The cheapest plans are offered by either UHC or BCBS. By far, Aetna is the most expensive. The cheapest vision plan costs 54 cents a pay period.

 

[pezdispenser]

Sure, they definitely vary. I just wanted to show that this is not a total disaster like MountainPharmD wanted to make it out to be.

 

[knight on horse]

p.s. My parents, who get all their news from Faux Noize, were concerned that they would HAVE to see the doctor at specified intervals and get this or that test or procedure. Nope, doesn't work that way. It just says that it has to be covered if you do it.

If compensation collapses and resources are limited it will be the inevitable result. The same that has happened in any government health care