I hate health insurance changes

[undertheradar]

Really? I'd love to see numbers showing that in most area of the country public and private sector pay is equal.

Take a look at the "public servant/service" salaries, benefits and pensions for California state, county and local governement employees. After that, look at the salaries for the city managers and attorneys within California. You will be shocked to see what public employees are being paid!

 

[undertheradar]

My sister will be repaying her. But they cannot seem to get loans because my mom makes too much money. Same with my college.
Also she has quite a bit of money tied up in investments for retirement that she refuses to touch

What?

 

[Hannathy]

My sister will be repaying her. But they cannot seem to get loans because my mom makes too much money. Same with my college.
Also she has quite a bit of money tied up in investments for retirement that she refuses to touch

Then she is financially comfortable and is making a decent living! If she is making so much that she can't get a loan for college then she should be paying (well for you, I don't believe in parents paying for grad school) Believe me she is doing OK, I know how much you have to make to not get anything!
Financial aid is there for kids whose parents don't make as much as your Mom, and that is what it should be for.

Also you sister could be getting private student loans she just/they don't want to pay the interest rate of private student loans.

It is sweet that you are concerned but you need to look at the big picture and see that your Mom is doing very well and there are many people in a whole lot worse situation.

 

[RitaE]

My sister will be repaying her. But they cannot seem to get loans because my mom makes too much money. Same with my college.
Also she has quite a bit of money tied up in investments for retirement that she refuses to touch

That doesn't make sense. Your sister being able to qualify for Grad Student loans shouldn't have anything to do with your Mother's income. Grad students are Independent per the FAFSA and don't report parent income

per the FAFSA website

If you can answer No to all of the following questions, you are considered a dependent student on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA):

Were you born before January 1, 1989?
As of today are you married?

At the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year, will you be working on a master's or doctorate program (such as an MA, MBA, MD, JD, PhD, EdD, or graduate certificate, etc.)?

Are you currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training?
Are you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces?
Do you have children who will receive more than half of their support from you between July 1, 2012 and June 30, 2013?
Do you have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you, now and through June 30, 2013?
At any time since you turned age 13, were both your parents deceased, were you in foster care or were you a dependent or ward of the court?
As determined by a court in your state of legal residence, are you or were you an emancipated minor?
As determined by a court in your state of legal residence, are you or were you in legal guardianship?
At any time on or after July 1, 2011, did your high school or school district homeless liaison determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless?
At any time on or after July 1, 2011, did the director of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless?
At any time on or after July 1, 2011, did the director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of being homeless?

 

[npcougar]

I've read through this thread. I know I'm a foreigner and so it's probably none of my business but still... it seems normal for families to have to pay out $600 a month for healthcare plus possibly more if they actually have to see a doctor or get treatment.

How the heck do you manage?

There isn't much choice. I had a co-worker decide they couldn't afford it and shortly after she had a brain aneurism. Her bills were over $90,000. She has recovered but they won't ever be able to retire.

 

[Princess Dolly]

Take a look at the "public servant/service" salaries, benefits and pensions for California state, county and local governement employees. After that, look at the salaries for the city managers and attorneys within California. You will be shocked to see what public employees are being paid!

Yes, some big wigs draw bigger salaries. This is not the case with rank and file public employees.

 

[undertheradar]

Yes, some big wigs draw bigger salaries. This is not the case with rank and file public employees.

Not true for California. We are talking serving firefighters who are making $150,000 + per year with the overtime. You should see the number of early retired public safety employees, full pensions and medical. Ever wonder why there are so many thousands of applicants for each one opening?

 

[sbell111]

Without getting political, I will say healthcare costs for massachusetts have increased, and it is due to the mandates and the reform here.
the idea was to reduce costs, yes, but it didn't work out that way.

This thread has gotten far from the OP and is brushing hard against the forum rules, but studies that I have seen show Massachusetts' cost rise at a lower rate than other states. Therefore, it's hard to argue that the changes didn't work. Perhaps different changes would have done it better, but it would be very hard politically to make the big change that would actually solve the problem.

 

[sbell111]

Not true for California. We are talking serving firefighters who are making $150,000 + per year with the overtime. You should see the number of early retired public safety employees, full pensions and medical. Ever wonder why there are so many thousands of applicants for each one opening?

Good grief. Just because some public employees in some areas of the country get paid well doesn't mean that overall public employees are paid at the same level as those in the private sector.

 

[npmommie]

This thread has gotten far from the OP and is brushing hard against the forum rules, but studies that I have seen show Massachusetts' cost rise at a lower rate than other states. Therefore, it's hard to argue that the changes didn't work. Perhaps different changes would have done it better, but it would be very hard politically to make the big change that would actually solve the problem.

I dont know what or where you are reading that but our health care costs are well above other states and rising faster.
Its why our govenor Just signed some new legislation to address all of this.
Cant talk anymore since it will get political. But it IS a result of our health care reform here.

 

[undertheradar]

Good grief. Just because some public employees in some areas of the country get paid well doesn't mean that overall public employees are paid at the same level as those in the private sector.

Isn't your statement true for everyone, both public and private?

 

[Hannathy]

Good grief. Just because some public employees in some areas of the country get paid well doesn't mean that overall public employees are paid at the same level as those in the private sector.

Well in my state they are doing better than the private sector, so it isn't just California. and I know of at least 2 other states that it is true. (and there are more)

 

[allison443]

My sister will be repaying her. But they cannot seem to get loans because my mom makes too much money. Same with my college.
Also she has quite a bit of money tied up in investments for retirement that she refuses to touch

I don't think there is such a thing as "making too much money to be eligible for loans". There is an income limit for government-subsidized loans, but you can still get unsubsidized loans if your income is above the limit.
Everyone in college is eligible for the Stafford loan (although with a higher income the loan would be unsubsidized.) You and your sister could get loans with your mom as a co-signer for example. Not saying you should do that, but the option is there

 

[tvguy]

Good grief. Just because some public employees in some areas of the country get paid well doesn't mean that overall public employees are paid at the same level as those in the private sector.

According to a Pew study, the average public sector worker has compensation (salary and benefits) that are 26% higher than the same person in the private sector. So yes, since that is an average, half the public workers don't make 26%, and half make 26% more or greater.

http://www.pewtrusts.org/our_work_detail.aspx?id=542

 

[Colleen27]

Take a look at the "public servant/service" salaries, benefits and pensions for California state, county and local governement employees. After that, look at the salaries for the city managers and attorneys within California. You will be shocked to see what public employees are being paid!

I'm sure it varies from state to state, but I've found that generally speaking the only way public employees on whole stack up favorably is by biasing the sample by failing to control for age or education.

But when people talk about lower pay in the private sector they're generally not thinking of politicians/elected officials. They're thinking of the "rank and file" govt employees because they're the ones being hit hard with this change in approach to public employee benefits - the city manager is still making a good living, but the teacher and the CPS case worker and the IT guy maintaining the city computers are getting pinched. They all settled for lower wages than they could have earned with a comparable education and many of them did so specifically because the benefits compensated for the lower pay. When I went from private sector to public I took a 30% pay cut because the benefits at the time (late 90s) were worth it. Now those benefits are less generous and far more expensive, but the pay gap is just as significant.

 

[undertheradar]

I'm sure it varies from state to state, but I've found that generally speaking the only way public employees on whole stack up favorably is by biasing the sample by failing to control for age or education.

But when people talk about lower pay in the private sector they're generally not thinking of politicians/elected officials. They're thinking of the "rank and file" govt employees because they're the ones being hit hard with this change in approach to public employee benefits - the city manager is still making a good living, but the teacher and the CPS case worker and the IT guy maintaining the city computers are getting pinched. They all settled for lower wages than they could have earned with a comparable education and many of them did so specifically because the benefits compensated for the lower pay. When I went from private sector to public I took a 30% pay cut because the benefits at the time (late 90s) were worth it. Now those benefits are less generous and far more expensive, but the pay gap is just as significant.

As an example, the new pension rules going into practice for California state employees are for new hires only.

 

[Colleen27]

As an example, the new pension rules going into practice for California state employees are for new hires only.

That's how it was done here initially too... But between hiring freezes and layoffs and people delaying retirement until they can recover some of their lost 401k/IRA balance in the market it wasn't enough, so cuts were extended to existing employees. A lot of older workers faced the choice between retiring before they were ready and losing the benefits that they'd worked 30+ years for and counted on in their retirement planning, and younger workers saw the value of their non-wage compensation plummet.

 

[undertheradar]

That's how it was done here initially too... But between hiring freezes and layoffs and people delaying retirement until they can recover some of their lost 401k/IRA balance in the market it wasn't enough, so cuts were extended to existing employees. A lot of older workers faced the choice between retiring before they were ready and losing the benefits that they'd worked 30+ years for and counted on in their retirement planning, and younger workers saw the value of their non-wage compensation plummet.

I'm not sure that we are on the same topic here. The California government employees do not have 401ks, they have pensions that are almost completely funded by the taxpayers. Pensions are a rarity in the private sector these days.

 

[ilovemk76]

That's how it was done here initially too... But between hiring freezes and layoffs and people delaying retirement until they can recover some of their lost 401k/IRA balance in the market it wasn't enough, so cuts were extended to existing employees. A lot of older workers faced the choice between retiring before they were ready and losing the benefits that they'd worked 30+ years for and counted on in their retirement planning, and younger workers saw the value of their non-wage compensation plummet.

The private sector has had the same thing happen to them. Do you really think that raising the taxes on the private sector is the answer? If so, then you are misinformed.

 

[Swan4Me]

That doesn't make sense. Your sister being able to qualify for Grad Student loans shouldn't have anything to do with your Mother's income. Grad students are Independent per the FAFSA and don't report parent income

per the FAFSA website

BOTH of you can get student loans-I agree with above poster-what you are posting makes no sense