Battling Health Plans

Since we're on a health coverage information kick here, allow us to compare the health coverage of a big, non-union viz effx studio to the Motion Picture Industry Health Plan's insurance.

We'll quote the summary of the visual effects studio plan (hereinafter known as Viz Effx) in bold-face, and the MPIPHP in regular face.

Ready? Then come on everybody, here we goooo ....

VFX: Exclusive Provider Organization -- $300 deductible (single) -- $600 deductible (family)

Preferred Provider Organization -- $600 deductible (single) -- $1200 deductible (family)

MPIPHP: No deductible.

VFX: EPO Insurance co-pay: (single) $50/month; (with spouse) $186/mnth; (with family) $371/mnth.

PPO Insurance co-pay: (single) $90/mnth; (with spouse) $210/mnth; (with family) $400/mnth.

MPIPHP: PPO Insurance co-pay: Zero

VFX: Doctor office visits: $15 (preferred); 70% after deductible (non-preferred)

MPIPHP: $5 - Motion Picture Television Fund Clinic;

$40 - Blue Shield non-clinic doctor;

$15 - Kaiser Permanente and/or Health Net.

VFX: Hospital (in-patient) -- 90% after $150 per confinement co-pay (preferred); 70% after $300 per confinement deductible.

($2000 annual cap - preferred; $5000 annual cap - non-preferred.)

MPIPHP: Hospital (in-patient) 90% (Blue Shield network - $1000 annual cap); 50% (out of network).

VFX: Emergency Room visits (emergency): 90% after $100 co-pay.

Non-emergency emergency room visits: Not covered.

MPIPHP: Emergency Room visits: $100 (waived if admitted to hospital.)

The above costs are pretty self-explanatory. If you are in the Viz Effx Plan, you get slammed with insurance co-pays (this is known as "off-loading expenses onto the participants.") However, if you're lucky enough to have a looong hospital stay, the costs narrow somewhat. (But you still have higher caps under the Viz Effx Plans.)