Just for the record, I want to state that I do not "disregard the plight of
those with the FHA". I misread the original append and did not realize that the
initial question was "So how much does retiree medical coverage cost ***with the
FHA***?".

I do not really understand the FHA plan and cannot comment on it, but I do know
that there is not a single one of us who, upon retiring form IBM, received the
retiree benefits that we were promised over the years. In my opinion, this is
one of the key reasons that IBM no longer makes the Fortune 500 list of "100
Best Companies to Work For".

--- In ibmpension@yahoogroups.com, ignatz713 <no_reply@...> wrote:
>
> --- In ibmpension@yahoogroups.com, madinpok <no_reply@> wrote:
> >
> > Mel - congratulations on your retirement and being lucky enough to have
qualified for the "old" medical plan rather than the FHA plan.
> >
> > Most of the people who are retiring now were forced into the FHA plan back
in 1999 because they were not within 5 years of being eligible to retire. As a
result, their cost for even the least expensive plan is about 5 times more than
what you pay. That makes it difficult for many people to afford.
> >
>
>
> Quite true, madinpok.
>
> Isn't it sad that there are still those who disregard the plight of those with
the FHA.
>
> Isn't it sadder still that only NOW (it's been ten years, fhawontcutit),
repeat only NOW, are people FINALLY waking up to the horror that is the FHA.
>
> And don't forget our brethren who have NOTHING at all in the way of medical.
>
> But by all means, Mel, enjoy your medical coverage (especially the
worth-its-weight-in-gold prescription coverage). It is what we who were promised
the same cannot do.
>
>
>
> > --- In ibmpension@yahoogroups.com, "mel_zimowski" <zimowski@> wrote:
> > >
> > > I retired in March 2006 after nearly 32 years of service. While I agree
that IBM's retirement plans changed over the years and the benefits that I have
are fewer than what was initially promised, I still highly value the retiree
medical coverage that I do have. In 2008, I selected an HMO (Kaiser Permanente
Northern California) for medical, IBM Dental Plus for dental, and the vision
plan. My individual coverage cost me $132.23 per month. Since I use an HMO, I
have co-payments of $20 per doctor's visit and typically $10 per prescription.
I have exercised regularly for the last 30 years and am lucky enough to be
reasonably healthy. My total medical, dental, and vision costs for 2008 were
about $2150.00, which for me is very manageable. My 2009 costs are even less
because I only enroll in the vision plan every other year. Obviously this is
not free medical coverage for life, but the cost is much less expensive than
what I would need to pay when just purchasing similar coverage in the open
market.
> >
>