Have you seen the new Harry Potter? The movie provides an interesting commentary on education. I couldn't help but make connections to our own situation here in NYC. Mrs. Umbridge strikes me as a perfect fusion of Klein & Randi, and do I need to point out Blooms similarity to Cornelius Fudge, the minister of magic. I can picture the 3 of them watching the movie nodding their collective heads in approval.
I happen to like Artie. However, he still works for Randi, and unfortunately, most follow her directive.
We already know that the UFT and city are talking about making us pay for medical to offset costs. So of course, under this new proposal, they will claim the city no longer gets back money.
What I don't understand is that some other city unions have better coverage under GHI than we do. And,
their unions pay for medicines and other needs that the UFT and Express no longer cover. Now I'm beginning to wonder if our Welfare Department is making these cuts to offset the bacon in the UFT budget.
We need to impress upon Randi and others that we should be covered under a 2007 schedule. Those doctors that left the network would come back.
And we have to impress upon those in Congress that Managed Care is killing Americans.
I know little of GHI, except for the complaints of my colleagues, but my experiences with HIP over the years, both mine and my wife's, my father in law, 31 years "on the job", and my uncle, 25 years a SanMan, have only been above satisfactory. The wait time for a specialist has been minimal. This has even gotten better as the HIP network has gone beyond the old centers.If I need a sonogram, it's scheduled within a week. My kid sprains her ankle, the Xrays are done and reviewed 40 minutes after I pick her up at school. If I miss an appointment, I'm called the same day to reschedule.
There will always be people and anecdotes that come to different conclusions, but I can only opine on MY experience and HIP has been fine.
GHI has been fine for me, actually. I've got no complaints about it whatsoever. I'd like to see it stay that way.
GHI is not fine if you go out-of-network. The one great advantage with GHI is that you can use out-of-network doctors.
City teachers are chained to their 1990 rates while other city workers get better GHI benefits.
After over $800 expenses, I never met the GHI deductible.
"We already know that the UFT and city are talking about making us pay for medical to offset costs."
Your last post seems to contradictthis schoolgal. If we have it so good how do you know we will lose it?
I don't understand your question Annon.
First, I never said we had it "so good" in any of my comments. I said other city workers had a better GHI plan than we do. Our payment schedule is not up-to-date.
Before Randi negotiates another giveback such as paying for medical, I would hope that she would first negotiates using 2007 rates. This will allow doctors who left the network to return as well as put us on the same level as other civil servants who have a better deal with GHI.
Just saw Sicko. Shouldn't Pepper be fighting for single payer?
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