A word about good benefits!

I've been watching this for months and sympathizing with everyone and want put in my 2 cents about "good benefits." I work for an excellent small/mid-size company that does remote transcription. We offer Blue Cross/Blue Shield medical coverage... but we're in a catch 22 situation with the insurance agencies.

The first problem is that you need a certain number of people to sign up for health insurance before you can even get a quote, AND you need some people *without* bad medical history. Well, guess what? The only people who want health insurance seem to be the ones who need it. So, that gives you a poor experience rating right off the bat. If *everyone* signed up for it, we'd have a better chance of getting decent rates. So, right now, I'm paying about $800 a month for my husband and myself - for group rates - with a $2000 deductible (but not for office visits - which is a modest co-pay and a medication card). (and yes, we *need* it because he has a heart condition.)

The owner has been trying for years to be able to afford "good benefits" for the employees because she really values them. But we're at the mercy of the insurance companies. I have seen insurance people come and go, sometimes weekly, with quotes and none of them can do any better than that. PLUS, these rates are on TOP of the company paying part of the cost.

Do you know how frustrating it is to get through an interview of a wonderful MT only to find they aren't interested when they find out the cost of the insurance? So now, that's the first thing I ask... What are you looking for in a position? If it's cheaper insurance (some of these people are leaving jobs where they are paying $150 for family and looking for something "better")... let me tell you, you probably won't find any better rates than you already have.

If you want "better rates" you might as well settle for working for a large company with thousands of employees who can get the costs that will still allow them to pay FICA, state and federal taxes, unemployment in all states they have employees, vacations, holidays, matching 401K plans, offer short and long term disability, and still have to pay office and QA support staff's salaries and all of the above, rent, telephone charges, software license charges, internet charges, equipment costs, both for MTs and office staff, liability insurance costs, business licenses, the expenses of running an office.... All on a "profit" margin of about, or less than, about $0.05 a line.

You do the math. I did, and so am not an MTSO any more.

Follow Ups:

• Oops.. I knew there'd be a mistake... Change that - MT Wench 16:54:02 04/30/05 (1)
  • Gee-I'd like to pay $150.00 every 2 weeks for family coverage, right now I pay - $400.00. 19:46:17 05/01/05 (0)