Good thing SKYWEST doesn't have a union!!!

[Stifler's Mom]

I can't believe the poor strategy used by Inc. on this. Here we (ASA) have a PBS vote coming up and many pilots are on the fense. However, many were thinking that this would be a livable move that would help the company for the long term. However, I can't tell you how many people I've spoken with that have used this new health care issue to down any hope of voting in PBS. Skywest Inc. really dropped the ball on this and used P.P. planning. Someone in St. George ought to be getting an @$$ chewing for their choice of timing on this- it's sorta funny, actually...........Seriously, could they have timed this any worse??????

That's because when management says "jump", we don't say "how high?" What works for the SKW group doesn't work with the ASA group necessarily.

 

[Goose Egg]

I ended up sticking with the HMO for this year, because it really is the better health plan, and I have a penchant for "risky" hobbies. However, the CDHP is certainly a workable option. Basically, Inc. is requiring us to assume a greater amount of the financial risk of maintaining our health so it can continue to fully assume the financial risk of keeping us employed.

I'm not saying that I wouldn't rather be able to stick with the HMO indefinitely, but I wouldn't go so far as to say that Inc. is "dealing crap." It's a business decision, and nothing more... typical of the "real world."

 

[JoeMerchant]

And to the pilots of Skywest, I would say this;

Yes, you have it good at your airline. And some of that "good" is simply a matter of a great boss who knows the old business axiom of "take care of your employees and they will take even better care of your customers"

However most of that "good" is a result of the rising tide effect of unions at other airlines and that same great boss's desire to keep a union off the property. When will all that run out? Who knows?

And while this one little issue of health insurance will not make or brake the issue, I would suggest it is something to keep in mind, next time a union question comes up.

It's easy to lecture about the benefits of a union, but the facts don't back it up when you compare Skywest to many union represented regionals....In addition, I have never had so many ASA pilots ask me about how to get rid of ALPA as I have in the past few months...ALPA approval rating is at an all time low right now here at ASA...

The HSA issue is partly bad information/lack of information, and a result of the growing health care problem this country faces. Those of us on the conservative side of the aisle will need to bring forth solutions to keeping health care costs down, or we will get Obama/Pelosi care...It may be too late anyway and all of this may be a moot (or mute for the FI crowd) point.

Treating health care like any other cost, and treating health insurance like car insurance and home insurance would go a long way towards lowering health care costs overall....

 

[SkyNation]

this may be a moot (or mute for the FI crowd) point.

classic!

 

[FLYHY]

If you are healthy, the CDHP is fine. But if anything should happen, such as a broken bone or cancer as in a previous post, you will pay much more than it's worth. If you have a family and you are on the CDHP, your entire paycheck might as well go into the HSA just in case you need to take your kid to emergency room.

ASA - if SkyWest is slapping this on you, ALPA needs to make sure you get the PPO as your second option because not every pilot is rich enough to cover their medical expenses. And our health is the only thing we have in order to keep flying.

 

[79%N1]

If you are healthy, the CDHP is fine. But if anything should happen, such as a broken bone or cancer as in a previous post, you will pay much more than it's worth. If you have a family and you are on the CDHP, your entire paycheck might as well go into the HSA just in case you need to take your kid to emergency room.

.

No...you will not! This is just not true and is fear mongering at best! They BOTH have a max yearly payout of around $6,000 max per year. The difference is WHEN you pay out. The HSA has you pay more first, and then less once you reach your deductable of $1200/$2400. The maximum out of pocket expenses are about the same within a few hundred dollars, $6000 for CDHP and $6127 for the PPO. The big different is when the money comes out of your pocket. With the CDHP, the money comes out of your pocket up front, before the insurance kicks in. The PPO, the money comes out over the course of the whole year.


Couple that with the much lower monthly premiums and I can't see where all the guys yelling at the top of their lungs that this is such a raw deal and slap in the face are coming from. I am not sure yet whether or not I will switch, but I'm leaning towards it. How can it be such a shaft job by management if many people are voluntarily choosing it? Have any of you spent time researching it, reading the documents or talking to HR about it, or did you just read someone else complain and jump on the bandwagon? It simply is not that much more expensive - even if you break a bone or get ill. Also, the company will put in $1000 into your HSA to start paying toward that deductable Jan 1. Once you get $6,000 into your account you will have no health care costs that year. Wellness visits are copay just like the PPO. If you get sick or injured throughout the year, the costs will be relatively close on each plan. If you don't, the HSA long term is MUCH better. So, how is this such a screw job on you?

P.s I do certainly realize that some have chronic conditions that this plan at first would not be good for, but how many fit that description? But even they will pay out the same max costs yearly, just more out of pocket first.

 

[buscap]

It's easy to lecture about the benefits of a union, but the facts don't back it up when you compare Skywest to many union represented regionals....In addition, I have never had so many ASA pilots ask me about how to get rid of ALPA as I have in the past few months...ALPA approval rating is at an all time low right now here at ASA...

The HSA issue is partly bad information/lack of information, and a result of the growing health care problem this country faces. Those of us on the conservative side of the aisle will need to bring forth solutions to keeping health care costs down, or we will get Obama/Pelosi care...It may be too late anyway and all of this may be a moot (or mute for the FI crowd) point.

Treating health care like any other cost, and treating health insurance like car insurance and home insurance would go a long way towards lowering health care costs overall....

Joe,

You know darn-straight-skippy every word I typed is 100% correct. And I never mentioned ALPA. It was about Skywest and a union.

ALPA sucks. But not having ALPA sucks more. How's that?

 

[JoeMerchant]

No...you will not! This is just not true and is fear mongering at best! They BOTH have a max yearly payout of around $6,000 max per year. The difference is WHEN you pay out. The HSA has you pay more first, and then less once you reach your deductable of $1200/$2400. The maximum out of pocket expenses are about the same within a few hundred dollars, $6000 for CDHP and $6127 for the PPO. The big different is when the money comes out of your pocket. With the CDHP, the money comes out of your pocket up front, before the insurance kicks in. The PPO, the money comes out over the course of the whole year.


Couple that with the much lower monthly premiums and I can't see where all the guys yelling at the top of their lungs that this is such a raw deal and slap in the face are coming from. I am not sure yet whether or not I will switch, but I'm leaning towards it. How can it be such a shaft job by management if many people are voluntarily choosing it? Have any of you spent time researching it, reading the documents or talking to HR about it, or did you just read someone else complain and jump on the bandwagon? It simply is not that much more expensive - even if you break a bone or get ill. Also, the company will put in $1000 into your HSA to start paying toward that deductable Jan 1. Once you get $6,000 into your account you will have no health care costs that year. Wellness visits are copay just like the PPO. If you get sick or injured throughout the year, the costs will be relatively close on each plan. If you don't, the HSA long term is MUCH better. So, how is this such a screw job on you?

P.s I do certainly realize that some have chronic conditions that this plan at first would not be good for, but how many fit that description? But even they will pay out the same max costs yearly, just more out of pocket first.

Well said! Facts are a funny thing.....

The longer you are in it without tapping into the HSA, the more sense it makes. I have about $9000 in my HSA and the most I have to pay out of pocket per year is far less than that....plus I pay far less in premiums....Good deal for many...Not as good for some.

 

[JoeMerchant]

Joe,

You know darn-straight-skippy every word I typed is 100% correct. And I never mentioned ALPA. It was about Skywest and a union.

ALPA sucks. But not having ALPA sucks more. How's that?

If voting in a union means Jerry starts treating the Skywest pilots more like other pilot groups get treated....Is it still a good thing?

Even you admit ALPA sucks....Why on earth would someone risk one of the best employee/management relations for something that us members admit sucks? I don't get it....

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Democracy is the worst form of govt.... but still better than everything else out there