#healthcare

my position is being eliminated (long story and it will not affect others). i am thinking about keeping cobra and wanted to see if anyone had experience with it. gracias...

When will it end?

A new bill in Maine seeks to limit hospital charges. Rep. Drew Gattine sponsors LD 2196 to cap prices. It requires insurers to pay 110% of Medicare rates for primary and behavioral health. Large hospitals would be capped at double the Medicare rate. Maine Health and Northern Light Health warn of thousands of layoffs.

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/me/maine/health/2026/03/06/maine-bill-proposes-hospital-fee-caps--but-providers-warn-of-layoffs-and-closures

Title says it all. All of my doctors are with memorial hermann so I guess I will have to find new ones. Life just keeps getting better and better at excon. So far this year I have spent 1600.00 for a heart scan, 700.00 for specialized blood work and 200.00 for an emergency room co pay plus 10% 600.00. My co worker spent 1200.00 for a colonoscopy. Another exxon employee was denied GLP 1 medication because their a1c was too low for diabetes. Funny thing is without the glp1 medication their a1c was over 7 but with gp1 it was below 6.5. You would think with stock price and money exxon has made they could afford to take care of the employees health care not. I guess indian btcs don't need health care and it is cheaper in india. A company that does not care about the health of its employees is a shameful place to work at. It is not just exxon health insurance is getting worse for everyone in the usa.

Group RIF'd today. 8-12 people over 3 shifts.

How hard have medical case managers been hit?

Not an Oracle employee past or present, but in healthcare. Curious if the VA or health system clients were notified in advance of the layoffs and given assurances of a smooth transition. I've heard onsite staff were pulled immediately.

My bet is that the VA nor health systems were not told in advance and that reassurances haven't been issued.

Prove me wrong?

The VA EHRM rollout restarts this month, after a 2 year hiatus.

You also have to wonder about pipeline customers, how they are going to take this. My bet is that more will flee to Epic.

More for UHC but I wanted to know if anyone else got the ridiculous email about the “ Executive Complaints” email regarding appeals. For those not in the know basically if a Governor, share holder, state person or anyone else in the top 1% have UHC we are to work the case IMMEDIATELY and push it through and prioritize it above all the other cases to have a decision made ( and approved and paid for by UHG) within 24 hours. Must be nice to make more money than more than half the people at the company and demand a strict 24 hour turn around time while the disabled patient who actually needs care gets denied chemo therapy and their hospital stay because the company decided “ it wasn’t necessary”
God I F$)):& hate this company

Hi All - I need help from folks who are planning to retire or that went through the retirement process. Here is a thread on Chevron's page, it's customized I hope we can put together something similar to help our folks as well: https://www.thelayoff.com/t/1kmrb08g5 or @OP+1kmrb08g5 "So, you've started thinking about RETIREMENT"

If you have time chime in with bits or pieces and, after a week or two I will consolidate everything into a long master post named "Exxon: Retirement Planning Considerations".

I am sure I am missing some key points but here is what comes to mind right now:

1. Ret. eligibility details (thresholds, yrs, pts)
2. Key milestone impcts (what changes materially)
3. Equity / vesting rules (RSUs, timing)
4. Bonus treatment after one leaves
5. Pre-65 healthcare costs (monthly premiums, coverage)
6. Post-65 healthcare reality (medcare, supplements, totals)
7. Company contribution levels (amts, caps, trends)
8. COBRA transition experience (costs, surprises)
9. Retiree vs employee benefits (what gets better or worse)
10. Out-of-pocket expectations (deductibles, exposure)
11. Real monthly cost examples (individual??? family?)
12. Financial planning lessons (mistakes, what mattered most to u)
13. Longterm benefit risks (changes, reductions, uncertainty)
14. Timeline considerations (when staying longer helps)
15. Anything you wish known (critical hindsight insights)

Add what you can. Specific details are most useful.

Trinity Health is cutting jobs within its revenue cycle department. The healthcare system will outsource these non-patient-facing roles to an external partner. Approximately 10.5% of revenue cycle positions are affected by this change. The exact number of impacted employees has not been publicly disclosed. Financial challenges in the healthcare industry prompted these cost-saving measures.

Ann Arbor, MI

https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2026/01/some-health-care-staff-laid-off-in-washtenaw-county-as-trinity-health-outsources.html

Does anyone know if get layoff, do you loss your healthcare benefit the same day? I heard Oracle will end your healthcare the same day. Is it true?

What's going on in pharmacy in reference to layoffs? I'm in the HD space...should I be concerned? It has changed so much.

https://memorialhermann.org/about-us/bcbstx-negotiations

In the latest endless hit to our benefits, all Memorial Hermann providers will not be in-network starting April 1st, unless thisis resolved.

???

What are some good jobs for nurses? I work at a busy hospital and am really stressed out and a friend told me to check out insurance jobs.

In February 2026, Express Scripts was hit with a racketeering class action lawsuit alleging it used a Swiss company to disguise billions of dollars in kickbacks. The lawsuit claims this scheme diverted rebates meant for clients, violating federal racketeering laws (RICO) and inflating dr-g costs.

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/02/ftc-secures-landmark-settlement-express-scripts-lower-dr-g-costs-american-patients

https://open.substack.com/pub/healthcareuncovered/p/express-scripts-just-got-sued-for?r=4gx0u9&utm_medium=ios

I see many folks hanging around waiting for a severance package. I get that I mean a kicker to go would be ideal especially if you are retirement eligible and this is your last stop in your career. If you have another opportunity outside the phone factory that meets or exceeds current salary/bonus pay and you are not retirement eligible, yet. What do employees gain by achieving retirement eligibility? What would be at risk if you left payroll 3 years before becoming eligible for retirement?

Potential known risks:
3 years of Pension contributions (assuming eligible)
30% service discount
ability to participate in AT&T healthcare plans at your cost 100%

Are there any other meaningful "benefits" at risk by leaving before eligible?

How many more quarter-zip pullovers with Iron Pulse logos will it take to buy your job? UP is doing this to keep you distracted from the fact they are trying to eliminate your positions. They even tell you in the Town Hall meetings they are using technology to consolidate as many dispatching desks as possible. Meanwhile, Vena has promised the NS ATDA dispatchers their jobs through a protection agreement. What has he promised you as a "valued member of the management team"? Nothing, absolutely nothing. In 2020 they cut people who only had a few years left to fulfill their 360 months for the full Railroad Retirement annuity. They will do it again! You are not special. This is not about being against the company; it's about protecting the career you dedicate and give so much of yourself to. You are trading small prizes for a possible guaranteed job, guaranteed wage increases, much better health care during your working years, health care after you retire, and protection against territory/dispatcher consolidations.

Here are few things to take in consideration. Bookmark this thread, you will need it. I hope others will chime in and cover things that I am missing but would be useful for ret. planning. Also, I might be off on a couple of things here, please correct me. Here we go:
1) “90 points” is a key milestone

• It typically equals age + years of service
• Hitting 90 generally qualifies you for full retirement status
• You also typically need at least ~10 years of service to receive retiree benefits at all
• Below that (for example 75 to 89), benefits may be reduced or prorated
• Even small differences matter - dropping from 90 to 89 points can increase your share of healthcare costs

2) Stock and bonus implications matter

• At 90 points, equity awards (RSUs, performance shares, SARs, etc.) often fully vest
• You may also retain eligibility for bonuses issued after leaving payroll
• Below that threshold, vesting may be partial or forfeited based on time worked
• These equity outcomes can be a major part of total retirement value

3) Healthcare is still expensive even with company support

• Pre-65: expect roughly several hundred dollars per month even with Chevron subsidies
• Example shared: around $800/month for individual coverage after leaving employment
• Post-65: total costs (Medicare + supplement + dental/vision) can reach ~$1,000/month for a couple
• Chevron’s contribution is relatively small (around ~$100/month range)
• Coverage quality is often considered strong, but you are paying significantly more than as an employee

4) Retiree benefits are weaker than employee benefits

• You may keep access to similar plans, but the company pays a smaller share
• Costs shift from “paycheck deduction” to direct out-of-pocket payments, which feels materially different
• Contributions are sometimes prorated based on your “points” level
• There is also risk that company contributions could drop further over time

5) Medicare is not “free”

• You must pay Medicare Part B premiums
• High earners pay extra through IRMAA surcharges
• IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount) is an additional charge on Medicare premiums based on your income, which can significantly increase monthly costs for higher earners
• You will likely also need a supplemental (gap) plan and possibly dental/vision

6) Long-term risk: benefits can shrink

• Retiree medical contributions from Chevron have remained small and relatively flat over time
• Some retirees reported large premium increases (for example ~80% over several years)
• Benefits depend on company performance and policy - they are not guaranteed to improve
• Planning should assume rising costs and limited company support

7) Financial planning is critical

• Retirement income (Social Security, dividends, etc.) can push you into higher cost brackets for healthcare
• You cannot rely on “appearing low income” to reduce costs if you have substantial assets or income streams
• Many retirees bridge the gap to Medicare using savings or tax strategies
• Healthcare becomes one of the largest and least predictable expenses in retirement

Get your Doctor appointments - full evaluation, Refill medicines, Surgeries if any.
Complete your ARAG / Will or Trust settings if possible
Get a free financial analysis

Looks like it got popped and fell to the ground with an empty basket. Let the ones who fought for your good wages and100% paid healthcare( The Union ) keep your basket full and quit counting on those who care nothing for you. All deals must go thru The Union first.

Over 3,600 individuals lost jobs in Illinois during the first 90 days of 2026. The Illinois Work Center site reported 3,695 layoffs in this period. Manufacturing facilities experienced the highest number of job losses. The healthcare industry also saw significant job reductions. These figures only include businesses required to issue WARN notices.

https://101theeagle.com/illinois-layoffs-2026/

Blount Memorial Hospital announced layoffs affecting 85 workers. These changes will take effect on May 1. The hospital is contracting out its food, nutrition, and environmental services. Most affected employees will be rehired by Compass Healthcare organizations. This move aligns operations with the broader Prisma Health system.

https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/maryville-blount/blount-memorial-hospital-layoff-85-workers/51-42928553-a4bb-4513-a5ed-9b1673228ae9

Supervisors were laid off today from the wellmed branch within Carenet health. Anyone from wellmed out there know when Carenets contract will end with wellmed ? Assuming that is sooner than later with the amount of clinic closures.

I’m young in my career and all three MCO’s I have worked at have been hellish, with Anthem being the worst by far. Wondering if folks have actually encountered a decent healthcare company to work at? Considering changing industries altogether because of how bad these places are.

(As an aside, Gail and team couldn’t identify true talent if it hit them in the face.)

The "Break Up Big Medicine Act," introduced in February 2026 by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Josh Hawley, seeks to dismantle vertically integrated healthcare conglomerates. It aims to prohibit companies from owning both healthcare providers and insurers, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), or wholesalers, reducing conflicts of interest, lowering costs, and increasing competition.

Fool calls my post fake but I don’t care if they get pensio or healthcare I deserve what’s mine been hear since 1999 that make me last millennial though I’m Gen X Gen Z can kiss my dump truck fake posts !!! I don’t vote but should

Rumor has it TPG is talking about stepping in to buy the struggling clinic after Optum couldn’t turn it around. We shall see…

So RJ has known that United Healthcare was in negotiation with Corewell hospitals (Michigan). Corewell wants 30% increase in payments over the next 3 years.

RJ didn't bother to tell Southfield participants this till NOW. Not even during open enrollment!!!

All Corewell Hospitals are/will no longer be in network. Maybe negotiations will come to an agreement, maybe not.

RJ HR dropped the ball because Southfield so much smaller?
Errrrr

Post only if anyone got an email or knows anything about RIF for El Paso

Any Optum FL CLINICS to be impactedtomorrow?

Lay off emails went out an hour ago. WM clinics in NTX region. PSRs and Ma’s. Could providers be tomorrow before the rally town Hall?

Anyone have any updates for 3/19 RIF r/t Optum Health or Appeals?

Kabuki Theater. Were they not at the table with the national during negotiations? If not, why not? The political environment is currently 100% against the union at the moment, including the NLRB. A new contract negotiation opens the union up to losing existing things that were not on the table with the extension. I don't believe Verizon will raise the healthcare caps and it's not Verizon that's raising the medical costs 10% a year, it's the healthcare industry. Union members should be more careful of who they vote for. When the 40 million dollar a year host of a Fox News show tells you that Bernie Sanders is a co-mie for trying to give you universal healthcare, maybe you should ask yourself if that host really has your best interests at heart? But on the upside I hear the Orange man is coming out with a better plan any day now /s

The pre 2008 hires are all terrible.

They voted to get rid of pensions for new hires.

They voted to get rid of healthcare for new hires.

They voted against job security for new hires.

They voted against us, now they want you to vote for them.

No thank you!!

Let’s face it we all know that one the unions didn’t do much of anything to get what was gonna end up being the offer in the end.Last year they were all about fighting to win things like caps on retirement medical ,but in the end the unions knew the environment they are in political wise along with on the company level work wise technology wise .Lets also face the fact they are concerned about the younger members who never been thru a strike along with making them go on strike for benefits they don’t have .So let’s all stop patting backs and just admit it’s was needs based decision .Call it like it is tired of Ibew and cwa pounding their chest about how great it is along with the problem isn’t Verizon it’s the country health care system.Lets be real the company said no way never gonna happen with retirees healthcare or pensions for younger guys take it or leave it .So the unions took it .Im okay with that but please wish the unions specially the CWA locals would just stop pounding their chests they rolled over a decade or more ago .Thats how we got to this point.So any of us thinking of retirement in next few years might as well forget that now .Also I’m okay with that but to the the unions just stop with posts please it’s making me sick every email and Facebook post

https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/legal/judge-orders-unitedhealth-to-hand-over-broad-discovery-in-ai-coverage-denial-case/

Illinois WARN reports indicate over 6,000 layoffs. The layoffs are scheduled for early 2026. The WARN Act mandates employer notification. Multiple sectors face job cuts, including health care and retail. TreeHouse Private Brands will lay off 168 workers in South Beloit.

https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/more-than-6000-illinois-workers-face-layoffs-in-early-2026-new-warn-filings-show/

A new report released by the bipartisan Senate Joint Economic Committee (JEC) on Tuesday found that overpaying for Medicare Advantage (MA) plans caused Medicare Part B premiums to rise across the board.

According to the JEC’s report, overpayments to MA plans caused standard monthly Medicare Part B premiums to go from $185 in 2025 to $203 in 2026.

The report defined “overpayments” as the difference between what the federal government government paid for MA plans versus Traditional Medicare (TM) plans. When payments to MA plans exceeds those for TM plans, premiums go up for both groups.

In 2025, MA plans were paid $84 billion more than it would have cost to cover the same amount of beneficiaries with TM plans, an average of 120 percent more.

Medicare Part B covers medically necessary services like doctors visits, supplies and some outpatient prescriptions as well as preventive services. Roughly 63 million people are enrolled in Medicare Part B and a little more than half are on Medicare Advantage, which combines both Part A and Part B.
The JEC further noted that the burden of MA overpayments are spread unevenly across the country as some districts and states have lower rates of MA enrollment. The report gave the example of Wyoming, where only 21 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in MA, estimating that payers in the state will pay $25.4 million in excess premiums, with most of that from TM enrollees.

“Let’s be honest about the math, when Medicare Advantage is overpaid, that money doesn’t just disappear, it shows up in the Medicare Part B premiums seniors pay every month, including those paid by traditional Medicare beneficiaries who are not getting extra benefits,” said JEC Chair David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) said in a statement.

“If Congress is serious about affordability, fiscal responsibility, and fairness, we must take a hard look at Medicare Advantage and make sure the rules are the same for everyone,” he continued.

“Today, between aggressive upcoding, questionable quality bonuses, and structural overpayments in Medicare Advantage, seniors who stay in traditional Medicare are effectively subsidizing the system. That’s not sustainable, it’s not fair, and it can be reformed.”