For some reason, the pharmacist I talked to mentioned the 15-day supply if you take 2 per day. I don't know why he said it . . . unless there is possibly a guideline that limits the person to 30 pills per month.

No idea.

Wildflower

The article said Wal Mart hopes to have 75% of the nation on the program in 2 years, corresponding with their in house medical clinic's already up and running in 25 cities. These clinics have been very successful. More generic drugs will be addded as soon as negotiations are finalized on non patent drugs.

Target and Corvette's have entered the picture and will match Wal Mart. As a side bar, Wal greens restated their earnings today as their stock dropped 25% in lieu of Walmart and Targets announcement.

CVS and Rite Aid are going to have to get on the program or they will become an also rans.Both these companies are already putting the negative spin on this but corporately they are working to match Wal Mart. It is regretable that a lot of small independent pharmacies in cities where Walmart and Target are located will suffer or go out of business but this is a by product of the world economy and supply and demand free enterprise system. Like it or not this is the way it is and will be. Actually, it will be great for the common good as it will allow millions of American's without any insurance and low income families to be able to buy needed medicines and groceries and not have to pick one or the other.

Posters have complained about Wal Mart not paying benefits and working a lot of part timers. When each and every one of us applied for jobs, we were told what the job was, salary and what was expected. We accepted these jobs, knowing what they were. We were not forced to take the job. This is the same for Wal Mart employees. They knew the salary, hours and expections, but took the job anyway.They must like working at Wal Mart because I believe 3500 people showed up in Evergreen, Il for 400 jobs. This is about average when Wal Mart opens a new store.

No company is required to pay any benefits, no health insurance or offer 401K's. There again, these Wal Mart employees knew this going in, it is to late to whine now.

Most corporations, including Ford, GM, IBM. JOHN Deere, HP, Delta, US Air and numerous other companies are either terminating pensions or reducing by 2/3rds. The bottom line is employers do not "owe" employees anything except the job of which they knew what is was going in. The end result being if you do not like what is being offered to you as an employee you can resign at any time, just like the company can terminate you without any reason whatsoever as this is an " at Will" state. This is a tough world out there with many changes coming down the road. Only the strong will survive, but most everybody will adapt and survive. We are a hardy stock.

I think people try too much to reply on the employer more than they should and some people take advantage of them as well... persay carrying 5 gallon bucket while painting their personal home and pulls a back muscle.. well.. that is something you done on your time.. not Walmarts time.. persay.. take care of yourself.

I enjoyed having a job that had full benefits.. and Id look for another that has full benefits before applying for one that didnt.. thats my own common sence.. places who do not normally provide insurance for part time employees isnt at any rediculous decission as far as I am conserned tho.. there was 26 employees from Murphys sent for drug testing.. 3 passed two weeks ago..

Those people are probably applying at the Nursing Homes as well.. and when they get hurt on the job for lack of motor skills because their brain is like a fried egg.. workers comp isnt going to pay for their pain that was caused.. also the employer will suffer loss of a potentially good employee... blah.. it racks me something bad!!!

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.
Sir Winston Churchill

As far as health insurance, America is set up that most people get their health insurance on the job. Most countries in the western world don't operate that way though. Even if they do have insurance on jobs, the government is involved when it isn't available - like Canada.

(I know a lot of Canadians and they are happy with their system. I've told them that some people here pass around horror stories about the Canadian system, and they can't believe it.)

We have more than 40 million uninsured people in the U.S. and the number is rising because more and more companies can't afford insurance.

If you are not insured on the job, and you are not disabled or on welfare, then your only choice is to buy private insurance. First you must qualify, but not everyone does. Then you must pay higher rates than you would find at most companies.

We pay over $7,000 per year for two of us in our business, and that's with a high deductible and virtually no prescription coverage. I'm not sure of the exact figure because it keeps going up every few months. So, we're getting closer to $8,000 per year I'm sure. And those are actually GOOD rates compared to the alternatives!

The insurance agent said that if you are going to buy your own insurance, you really need to do it by age 50. After that, it's very difficult to get. And of course, some medical conditions will prevent any insurance company from accepting you at all.

No, a company doesn't have to give you insurance. But, the bottom line is, in this country, it's very easy to fall between the cracks through no fault of your own. Most of those people without insurance have jobs.

Those people accepting the pay and conditions at Wal-Mart don't have a lot of choices usually. It's not like they turned down jobs with benefits to go work at Wal-Mart.

When those people don't have insurance, they don't get the preventative treatment they need, so they often get sick and end up in emergency rooms. The hospital must accept them and eat the cost. This also drives up medical costs.

But now, many hospitals are being built without emergency rooms, because they can't afford all the money they are losing.

We are in a bad situation and it's getting worse.

Wildflower

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.
Sir Winston Churchill

Have not looked into it. Our insurance is from NASE - National Association of Self-Employed.

Our insurance agent sells all kinds of insurance. In his opinion, NASE couldn't be beat.

Premiums went up when we moved from Marble, NC to Young Harris-Hiawassee, GA. They say the further south you move, the higher the premiums get.

Wildflower

I did not renew my license because I have retired, but I never had any problem in getting better rates for my clients than the program offered by the NASE. They have historically had the highest premiums in the market place. By the way, the NASE program is not a group insurance policy for the self employed or small business, it is individually priced, individual policies which may be why your premiums are extremely high.

to name a few.

Perhaps defining the acronym would make it easier to look up. Just a thought.

There is another product that is heavily used in the midwest. They are faith based policies, with a statement of faith made by the holder and their minister. These are called Brethen policies. Some states will not permit them.Basically the group is assessed a small amount of money each monthe to be sent direct to an individual who has submitted the claim. A moderator controls the disbursements and the entire program is covered by a master policy from a major insurance company. Other than minor adm. cost, it is totally non profit.But, I tend to ramble on.

Shucks

For those who want "some" additional information on MSAs <Click Here>

Not sure how old that link is, but it is a start.

I'll read about it whan I get more time, but as far as getting out of NASE, my biz partner passed age 50 a couple of years ago. So qualifying for another insurance might not be realistic.

As far as NASE premiums being high, I don't know. Someone else on this board has used it also and found it to be more reasonable than others. Also, my chiropractor I had in Andrews, NC was looking for insurance for his family, but could not find anything reasonable. He thought the NASE premiums seemed better than anything he had looked at too.

But, I don't sell insurance, so . . .

The agent who sold us the insurance, started out as a customer of ours. One thing I can tell you about him, he hates to take advantage of anyone! There have been times we've tried to do favors for him as our customer, and he wouldn't hear of it if he thought it would cost our business one dime extra!

Really, I hate the whole way we go about insurance in this country. It does not work for so many. I've known people hanging on to miserable jobs just for the insurance, because they had preexisting conditions that prevented them from getting private insurance. One lady I knew was really much too sick to hold down a job without taking a lot of time off, but she couldn't qualify and her husband's job didn't offer it.

Plus, it's hard to deal with such a complicated subject when you have a million other things to do.

Wildflower

Warning (as usual) he and his readers tend to use strong language. If that upsets you, or if you think the system is fine, I'd advise not to read it.

http://www.joebageant.com/joe/2006/09/health_care_sys.html

Wildflower

Shadow

First, there are different degrees and definitions of "Socialism". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism

Second, if you don't want socialism, then something had better be done about the current mess. These are the sorts of conditions that may eventually lead to it.

Or if not socialism, a revolution of some kind or other.

People don't have health insurance at work, and it's hard to get and expensive. Congress refuses to even raise the minimum wage and the President wants to give amnesty to illegals who will work for those low wages.

When will we reach the critical mass before people start rioting? I suspect it will be when more and more of the white collar workers begin to go without.

And that is beginning to happen.

Wildflower

http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/091406LA.shtml

http://www.sourcingmag.com/blog/archive/white_collar_workers_seek_voice_under_united_professionals.html

http://www.newwork.com/Pages/Opinion/Raynor/Outsourcing.html

http://www.epinet.org/content.cfm/bp167

Wildflower

I should have mentioned, our insurance include health, disability, dental, vision. Maybe a little life insurance too; can't remember.

Wildflower

I can pass along her name to you if you would like.. I am pretty sure she is still selling the insurance...

We had woodmen of the world and hunny still does. Mine is not active any longer.. but that is our life insurance. We did have several policies but traded the expenses of them for others that are inline with raising our family... in all. We just couldnt afford them any longer so we canceled all but one policy.

We were at one time paying out 149.00 a month on hunny to have 500,000.00 term life and me 189.00 a month to have the same coverage.. it was a each two policys of 250,000. / 20 yr term policys thru WOW.. I cant complain about the policys because they were the best we found and we RESEARCHED LOTS... We just cant afford all of it at this time.. hopefully we will again someday soon..

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.
Sir Winston Churchill

Blairsville, Georgia - home in the North GA Mountains

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