Michigan Votes Forum

 Again, let's quit talking about just teachers for a minute and consider the burden this would be to the lower paid school employee.....say a clerk or cleaner making about $10 an hour.  A policy for just a single person is approximately $650 a month.  So 20% of that would equal about 8% of their salary.  Federal tax would be in the 10% bracket, state tax 4.35%, FICA 7.65% (normally...currently reduced due to the stimulus), Retirement is approx. 4%, and the newer deduction toward retiree health care is 3%.  That's a whopping 37% of their salary.  That would be a bring home of only $504 every TWO weeks!  Why bother working?  Lots of folks unemployment is $700 every TWO weeks!

Wow! I really appreciate the thought that you put into this article. This topic has been something I have been looking into for a few hours and your post is one of the best I have read. Trisha Ford

I don't understand why only government employees are being forced to contribute to their benefits. We would really save a lot of money (and pull ourselves out of the hole) if our leaders (and retirees) had to pay towards their health care, retirement and other benefits. We also need to stop the large bonuses they get upon retirement, take away their cars and all the other extravagant perks they are getting. Most of all, we need to change the law that they can retire with full benefits after only 8 years in office. The private sector must work at least 30 years before they can receive the lowly benefits they presently get.This is where the bulk of our financial problems originate from.

Why is that any different than it is for the private sector employee earning $10 an hour? To my knowledge, unemployment is temporary - how would it be helpful for someone to quit simply because the individual had to contribute 20% to his/her health insurance premium? I've paid up to 40% of the premium and was grateful to have the coverage. 20% is a bargain and fair to the taxpayers who are paying for it while perhaps not having any coverage of their own.

This a good idea. To make it fair why don't we include politicians as gov't employees? Seems only fair to me. 

Well as a Michigan resident, I definite hope they indicate how lots of and which drugs they will be testing for, since I am definite the more drugs they check for, the higher the cost, so it will effect my decision to apply if I'll must pay for it when it comes back negative for drugs Florida Medicare Supplement... I am a broke college child trying to survive, losing weight every day because I cannot afford food. But I guess that is what I get for growing up poor. After all, Republicans blame me for it anyway. Guess I should've died at birth like I was one time supposed to. Thanks for the confidence boost!

I'm not sure the additional contribution is such a good idea. I'm more for having people take of their health with eating the right food and exercise. If they have less in medical bills they should see less in health cost. Michigan coverage

Health insurance helps people afford the cost of quality health care, for example for a nighthawk radiology clinic. It's one of the most valued benefits an employer can offer to his workforce. In most cases, an employer will not pay the entire cost of an employee's insurance. Just how much and how that effects employer and employee varies from situation to situation.