Healthcare Open Enrollment

The healthcare open enrollment period just passed at my company and I am rather disappointed. Not only is the healthcare program that I have been using discontinued but the remaining options are less than stellar. To make matters worse, my wife only works part-time and does not have any benefits available, meaning we are left with the choices from my employer.

As I reviewed the current options, I could not help but feel bitterness that the costs are increasing while the value is decreasing. To make matters worse, 3 of the 4 plans being offered are from a healthcare provider that many of our preferred doctors refuse to accept due to poor service/business. Essentially that left us with only one choice if we wanted to take advantage of our preferred doctors and not be charged the out of network fees.

While I can appreciate the fact that the costs of healthcare are increasing, I feel that the company did not keep the employees best interests in mind when they selected the current offerings. IMO, I am more than willing to pay a little extra for quality service but I am not happy to pay more and receive less.