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        You are here: Home / Negotiations / Contract 2014 Negotiations Blog / Q&A: Can you explain how the cost sharing and 15% cap affects my Health Insurance Premium?

        Q&A: Can you explain how the cost sharing and 15% cap affects my Health Insurance Premium?

        November 16, 2014 17:47

        There are two moving parts to the insurance premium.

        1.  There is a cost sharing for self insurance.  Currently, our rates are locked, and you pay a portion of the overall benefit.  16% paid by the FA, 84% paid by the Company.  Each year the cost sharing will increase 1%, up to a maximum of 20% paid by the FA by the end of the Agreement.

        2.  A year-over-year cap not to exceed 15%.

        2015 rates are already set, so any possible increases would not occur until 2016 at the earliest.

        Example:

        Overall benefit cost is $1000:

        FA pays $160 (16%)
        Company pays  $840 (84%)

        If TA2 is ratified, the 2016 Cost Sharing change for the FA would increase from 16% to 17%  (1% increase).

        Overall benefit cost remains $1000:
        FA pays $170 (17%)
        Company pays $830 (83%)
        In this example, FA cost increases by $10.  (New 2016 rate ($170) – 2015 rate ($160) = $10.)

        But lets say the overall benefit cost jumps from $1000 (2015) to $2000 (2016).  In that example the cost sharing would require $340 (17% cost sharing paid by you) and $1660 (83% paid by Alaska).  With the cap of 15% year over year, your prior year you paid $160, so 15% increase would cap the cost to you at $184.

        Overall benefit cost increase to $2000:

        FA pays $184
        Company pays $1816.
        In this example, despite a major increase in overall benefit cost, FA cost increases by $24.  (New 2016 rate ($184) – 2015 rate ($160) = $24.)

        As illustrated in the examples above, considering cost sharing and the 15% cap year-over-year, the maximum amount for the insurance benefit portion you pay may only increase by 15% year-over-year.

        Example: 

        2015 – $100

        2016 – $100 * 15% = 115 (15% max)(year over year cap and cost sharing combined)
        2017 – $115 * 15% = 132.25 (15% max)(year over year cap and cost sharing combined)2018 – $132.25 * 15% = 153.08 (15% max)(year over year cap and cost sharing combined)
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        Filed Under: Contract 2014 Negotiations Blog, Latest News, Negotiations

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