#health

Has anyone else experienced more health issues this year (or with their team/peers), since the “8 hour” rule was threatened? I’ve personally been sick a couple times since Jan 1 and that’s very odd for me. After reflecting, the only thing that’s really changed is being around so many people in the office, especially so many from India. Specifically this has been in Technology (Charlotte).

Is tomorrow really happening? Anyone know what depts may be on the chopping block? I know it might be inevitable, but w/ my wife's cancer treatment it's even more stressful.

Friday tomorrow, you know what that means. I show up at 5AM with my YETI Cup filled up 3/4 Jack Daniels, 1/4 coffee. Get me my hidden back corner desk and throw on Netflix to catch up on my shows. Around 7 I’ll head over to the bathroom to take a half hour dump before people start showing up. Then I walk around and check in with some of the friendlies, say hi, get my FaceTime in, and complain about the company. Now it’s 10 and I need a refill. Back out to the truck to refill my yeti with a Jack N Coke, then have a little parking lot siesta. It is Friday after all. At 11 I clear out my inbox and send a few emails out. Next thing you know it’s 1PM and I did my 8, so the work day is over. Time to head over to the club for 9 holes and a few beers with the boys before heading to my daughter’s basketball game. Man I love Fridays.

Anyone know the answer?? When you call HR they are useless. Apparently its a formula but no one knows anything. I’ve seriously had it with this Company. I will fight right be side my union brothers and sisters if theres no contract but I really need to leave this toxic environment. Im only 51 not eligible for medicare so I would like to know what the out of pocket expense is. I literally had one HR rep tell me 27-34k per year theres no way thats true. And my union reps are useless too.

A woman employee fainted after receiving layoff news. She worked at Dhamnagar Tata Power in Bhadrak. Colleagues rushed her to a hospital in critical condition. The victim is identified as Manasi Barik. A workers' association condemned the layoff and demanded re-employment.

https://kalingatv.com/odisha/woman-faints-after-receiving-layoff-news-admitted-to-hospital-in-critical-condition/

The health insurance business is a mess, and no health-insurance company is a bigger mess than UnitedHealth Group
UNH

• 1.61%
  . But with its shares down 17% this week, much of that mess may now be reflected in the stock price.

The bad news started on Monday, when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, proposed that the net price increase for Medical Advantage insurance premiums should be 0.09% in 2027, well below the 5% many had expected. That would be a big hit to future.
This is what peoples health has been reduced to. A bunch of Wall Street brokers who circle in anticipation of how much money they can extract from federal and state programs, unsuspecting employers etc.

Why are we not hearing about this from CVX health & medical, particularly since there is so much travel to and from India in our employee and contractor population?

What is the company doing about curtailing or cancelling altogether travel? This is how it started with the previous pandemic, and this virus has a very high mortality rate.

Please respond, Chevron.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-15505857/cdc-monitoring-outbreak-nipah-virus-india.html

"UnitedHealth Group executives today predicted that the number of people with its fully insured commercial health coverage will fall about 16% this year, to less than 6.9 million."

https://www-benefitspro-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.benefitspro.com/amp/2026/01/27/unitedhealth-forecasts-loss-of-nearly-1m-employer-plan-enrollees-amid-price-hikes/

I'm asking because my dad, who's been having some serious health issues, is refusing to consider early retirement because it would be - as he said it - a huge financial hit compared to waiting out retirement. Is this true? I have a feeling he's just a workaholic and is willfully ignoring his health because of it. He works at FIS.

I know teams have been over there recently. Are there any warnings as people come and go. Only asking since HP is always coming and going.

I left until 2024 and was on cobra and coverages until end of last year paid by intel. But this year I actually changed company and insurance too but until still they sent me health insurance ID cards from Providence health plan collective health. Has this happened to somebody else as well. When I called them, they said you’re no longer enrolled because you’re not an employee so you shouldn’t be getting it, but the insurance company doesn’t deny it and they say I have an active plan with them. I’m not sure who pays the premium and how.

So far haven’t heard anything from the East Coast. Is everyone ok?

We’re definitely far removed from the Covid pandemic, and it’s gone back to how it was pre March 2020. Employees are coming into office sick due to fear of corrective action for attendance or not meeting the 4 day RTO requirement. But we need to build that culture, which is 100% BS by the way.

The GOP is targeting health insurance companies this year, and it will impact this company. The days of free money and corruption are over.

Maybe those of us with working Edison machines can get an adapter kit for our machines.
That would give us the added ability to do Alzheimer's diagnosis, in addition to the standard suite of tests we can do now.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq5y85e8d2xo

This new plan su-ks so bad. I picked the same one I had last year but now it’s so much more expensive.

Anyone else having problems accessing the new prescription benefit, Rightway? Account has been deactivated. I called Rightway and was told their not sure why it's either an error, employee not eligible, or termination. This benefit just started 1/1/26

Genius timing. Ought to work out really well.

With Landmark fully sunsetting on 12/31, talk of organizational changes, and losing patients to other health plans, any word on RIF’s in this area in January?

MCO bids for 2027 went out recently. Any word about whether or not BCBS will be losing their contract with the Healthchoice Illinois program? The plan has been underperforming in a lot of metrics compared to the other MCOs. Wondering if I need to be looking to avoid future unemployment...

As I said months ago they already have a contract extension in place .Both sides just needed to make it look like there was so much between them.As though so much hard work had to be done .Now they sell us the bag that’s filled with you know what.They will say man we made progress it was a tough fight and this is what we got .So I think retirees best not get their hopes up the cost of the health is not reverting.The only hope you have is a cap of some sort.The raises will be just enough to cover the medical increase for active workers.The company as you know wants to wack the disability down so there goes that when the majority of us now at at a point we may need it.So here’s to 2026 best of luck brothers.Lets just hope they don’t sell out the lump for the pension carriers maybe they throw us a bone with another paid holiday like June 19

From 1.5 million to 1.3 million. Not terrible, until you read further that 2/3 of that 1.3 million were automatically enrolled from 2025. Which means they likely haven’t paid the premium yet. Thus, that 1.3 number is expected to drop once the bill comes due and is significantly higher than 2025. Waiting to see what the numbers in Florida look like.

I’m on the process of potentially taking a role with Aramco.

I am reconsidering given what I read about the air quality levels, yesterday it was globally the worst place for PM 2.5.

I understand the region is dusty but I really don’t want to damage my health or those of my kids breathing toxic air.

Can anyone point me to some advice on the matter, I cat the the first one mentioning this. The HR guy said it’s only a couple of days a year when the seasons change it gets really bad. How do others cope,

Starting a job at Wells Jan 19th. Is the United plan decent? Coming from a place with Humana

In 2025, America’s healthcare system is collapsing by design. There is no universal coverage, ACA tax credits have vanished for millions, and costs remain opaque and predatory. One illness can still mean debt or bankruptcy. This is not care—it’s organized insecurity.

Tying healthcare to employment has made everything worse. Jobs are no longer stable, yet coverage depends on them. Americans stay trapped in bad work or delay care out of fear. Meanwhile, college-educated workers in technology and healthcare are pushed aside as employers lean on H-1B visas and rush AI deployment to cut wages and labor costs. Workers lose jobs—and with them, their healthcare—while executives call it “efficiency.”

The deeper problem is political capture. Politicians have embedded themselves in healthcare policy while being financed by insurers, pharmaceutical companies, and hospital lobbies. Legalized bribery masquerading as campaign finance has turned public policy into a profit shield. As long as money writes the rules, reform will fail.

The solution is clear: delink healthcare from employment, make coverage universal and portable, and get politicians—and their donors—out of our healthcare decisions. End the corruption, end the chaos, and put people before profit.

Much as possible. What I don't like is my drinking has increased massively and that's my problem. Lunchtime I head out and go to some random parking lot and knock a few back. Have a tumbler roadie for the office to nurse for the afternoon and then have a few for the ride home. By 8-9 pm every day I am lights out asleep only to do it all over again. Do you think there are many more drinking, getting high on the job? I only have a couple more years of this but man it's taking a toll.

Sandeep called somebody out by name and talked about him having foot surgery during the all-hands. Isn’t that PHI?

Stepping away for a bit. Wishing good luck to everyone.

Anyone else get the notice about TB at PDC? I want to know how whoever had it was contact traced; we don't have assigned desks. So was this person isolated or is Ford just allowing employees to be exposed to TB?

Another knock against 4 day RTO. I don't want to catch TB from the gross PDC.

Just FYI- pregnancy is a valid reason for an in-office exemption. It's called an "accommodation request" and extremely easy to submit the form. I submitted the form at 3pm and I was called the next day at 7:30am and it was approved by 9am and took effect immediately.

https://njbiz.com/optum-layoffs-nj-medical-clinic-closures/

We had a patient call the office and stated that she did not understand why she’s being taken off the supportive care program. She switched from a different insurance to a United healthcare advantage plan just for the coverage and whoever she spoke to just advised her that Wellmed supportive care is not accepting United healthcare so there’s no coverage for the supportive care within her benefits. It seems like they are letting the patients know in advance so they can transition back to the clinic and get scheduled in office before they do the layoffs.

Just a thought. Next round might be 12/18

The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department paused its plan to make layoffs and transition thousands of patients away from county clinics due to “unsatisfactory immigration status.” The decision follows an ongoing injunction to a change in federal law.

https://www.santamariasun.com/news-2/county-public-health-pauses-layoffs-and-patient-transfers-left-with-budget-deficits/

Ever since the last round of cuts, my plate has doubled with no support in sight. I barely get a moment to breathe before something else lands on my desk. Breaks are more of a hope than a reality these days. I am counting down the time until I can move on to something healthier.

I have enough saved that I don’t have to go back to work. I can go on my wife’s medical since I’m not Medicaid eligible. At 65 can I and my wife still get supplemental insurance from Verizon at 65? I heard that I can, but if my wife leaves the company insurance now, she can’t come back. Anyone know if this is true?

PLEASE reach out and get support. If you don’t have people in your personal life you can lean on, contact the Employee Assistance Program.

You matter. You have value. Job loss can feel devastating. It feels like a violation or an as--ult. Your income and your livelihood has suddenly been ripped away. Your routine is disrupted. There’s anxiety and financial distress. On top of that, you may feel socially isolated without colleagues to interact with regularly.

But your job doesn’t define you. You are SO much more than that.

You can get through this! Grieve the loss. Feel your emotions and process them. And then step-by-step, move forward and put this sh-t show of a company behind you.

Take care of yourself and purposely do things that bring you joy. For me, that’s enjoying a nice cup of coffee and cuddling with my puppy.

Watch funny movies. Put your phone away, get off this fu--ing website, and immerse yourself in nature. (I should really take my own advice.) Maybe there are projects around the house you’ve been putting off. This evening I’m cleaning up my place and it feels awesome and productive.

If you’re a person of faith (or are open), go to church. Writing in a journal can be very helpful in processing your feelings. I know that I have ALL kinds of feelings right now.

There’s absolutely no shame in reaching out to the EAP if you need a supportive and listening ear. It’s all part of self-care.

Sending you big hugs from an Internet stranger!

I just got a job offer at a company that is actually growing. I’m taking -30k pay cut but it’s better than unemployment.

I am also being assessed for MS and the doom and gloom was contributing to my ms attacks.

If you get a chance to get out, please do it!! It’s not worth your health and sooner or later you will have symptoms.

I consider myself extremely lucky and I wish you all the best in your futures!

It was an honour working with the good people! There are some really talented people working for Dell and you deserve way more than what is currently happening!

God bless! Another Rockstar Out!

Sorry if this was already asked and answered, but posts are coming in too fast and I can't keep up. Are people getting any extended medical coverage as part of the severance package?