My husband and I lack self control. We can't stop spending money. We get ahead, we spend the money, we get back down.
We're going to Disney next month and I'm ridiculously excited about it, but we went overboard booking the hotel I wanted with the view that I wanted during the week that I wanted. But it came with a price tag that is a lot more than we've ever spent on a vacation. Yesterday was our last day to get a full refund on the price, so of course today, my employer decided to burst my bubble.
I budget. A lot. I have our bills mapped out through the next year. I always estimate a $20 biweekly increase in health insurance premiums during annual enrollment because, on average, that's what it's been. Last year, I think it went up $19. Today, I found out that our insurance is going up $37 per pay next year. In addition to that, because my husband is eligible for coverage through his employer, they are going to charge me $50 per pay as a surcharge because he is using my insurance coverage and not his own.
I have some massive, massive issues with this. First and foremost, my company blamed this surcharge on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or "Obamacare" as it's been dubbed by the media and politicians. I whole-heartedly disagree. If the surcharge had anything to do with ACA, then it would have been implemented across the entire company. Which leads me to point number two...
This surcharge is only being assessed on employees whose spouses 1) work and 2) don't work for our company. So essentially my company is targeting those employees who have two incomes, one of which doesn't come from our company. No other segment of the company is facing this increase.
If the increase legitimately had anything to do with healthcare reform, it would have impacted everybody. Instead, I am left feeling like my company could care less about people and especially about families.
The increase, between increased premiums and the surcharge, will be taking 5% of my salary. 5% is a pretty substantial amount, especially when we have two incomes because we have to, not because it's a luxury. I will actually make less next year than I am this year because of this increase; the average raise in the spring is about 2%.
Our budget is stretched thin, literally down to pennies left after paying bills, through most of next year. I don't know how we're going to find an extra $87 every two weeks to pay for health care.
We're left with a couple of options, none of which are very desirable.
1) I keep my husband on my insurance. I pay an extra $87 every two weeks for his insurance coverage, which he has never used. Not once.
2) I drop my husband from my insurance and make him get his own. We pay two premiums, and are responsible for two deductibles if my husband ever has to seek out medical care. We have to juggle two different insurance companies, make sure that any doctor we choose accepts both companies. The list of reasons that this is an undesirable option goes on and on.
3) I drop my husband from my insurance and he stays uninsured, paying the tax for not maintaining coverage. In the event of catastrophic illness, we're screwed.
Clearly, none of these are attractive options. My company has put me and my family in a really bad position.
Today, I just feel like giving up. I'd be better off to quit my job and get Medicaid. I don't know why I try to get ahead when everything in the world is just trying to drag me down.
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