Best Insurance Quote Online Save on your auto, home, life, health insurance!

Health Insurance Executive Salaries

Ford Pensioners Concerned about health benefits cut

Hundreds of Ford Motor Corporation pensioners try with the top executives of the automaker take to combat the possible large cuts in health benefits. Last week, the anxious ex-employee sent a letter to Ford executives asking After a meeting to know more about the changes and discuss viable ways to make the cuts less onerous.

Since the last Autumn, when the automaker said that in 2008 Ford will no longer offer traditional Health Insurance salaried retirees older than 65 who are eligible for Medicare, have been few details given to pensioners. In addition, the company announced that it replace the insurance with an annual stipend of $ 1,800. The amount may to be cover to cover Medicare and other health care costs.

Donald White House, a retiree, said he hoped that the letter from him on behalf of the 1916 written salaried retirees and to Ford CEO Alan Mulally, Executive Chairman Bill Ford Jr., Ford Americas chief Mark Fields, Ford's Board of Directors will yield more answers.

White House, 65, a former manager of quality control of the Ford Dearborn assembly plant, car parts, which also oversees Exhaust> Borla Exhaust, said He called the toll free number more information Ford provided, but he does not know yet what impact the amendments 57 and his wife, Donna, will, who else not for Medicare. "Ford has not told us," he added.

Marcey Evans, a Ford spokeswoman declined at the White House his petition or request for comment for a meeting. "There are still pieces of this that are in the final phase," said Evans. "We will be additional information to the retirees, so that they know exactly what it means changes and how it is for the future. "

Ford, like other carmakers are fighting is to reduce to seek health benefits and increased employee co-payments, control rising costs and return to profitability. The automaker already has a deal with the United Auto Workers union to cut health costs for union members. The cuts are also a worker to be implemented.

White House . Wrote: "We recognize Ford's historically difficult times that effective steps to reduce costs demand to ensure its survival but we also believe that all of us - from salaried and hourly employees and hourly retirees - should equally in the sacrifices and hardships associated with return of profitability of the company. "

The letter says that the retirees felt betrayed by their former employer. "I do not think that it is a year marked by We do not want to sell at least five or six cars for Ford is, "said Ed May, 62, a 33-year Ford employee who retired in 1996th

Cutting Medicare health insurance for eligible employees is part of Ford's strategy to millions of dollars in used store plan to restructure the company. In 2006, Ford spent $ 3.1 billion offer to health care for 570,000 U.S. employees, retirees and dependents. However, the health care costs were reduced, 3500000000 if they spent $ 590,000 for employees, retirees and dependents.

White House added that he will need the struggling company to save money goes. And that he is not against pensioners to share some of the pain in a world of rising health care costs. But he fears that would be $ 1,800 not enough, especially for retired people with serious diseases.

Paul Fronstin, director of health research program at the Employee Benefit Research Institute in Washington, DC said that the average cost nationally for one of the most comprehensive supplemental Medicare plans, no recipes, is $ 1,800. But the price of Medicare plans varies.

About the Author

Jenny McLane is a 36 year old native of Iowa and has a knack for research on cars and anything and everything about it. She works full time as a Market Analyst for one of the leading car parts suppliers in the country today.

Anthem Blue Cross: Screwing Californians for Profits