Obama directs that wildland firefighters be offered health insurance

[Esse Quam Videri]

Source: The Denver Post

President Barack Obama has directed federal officials to offer seasonal firefighters the option of purchasing federal health insurance coverage, White House officials told The Denver Post Tuesday.

On a a recent trip to Colorado Springs, the president was apparently moved by the men and women firefighters he met, senior administration officials said in an interview Tuesday. When he returned to Washington, he told his cabinet that he wanted to "find a solution" for the hundreds of workers toiling in dangerous conditions without the option to buy in to federal insurance


Read more: Obama directs that wildland firefighters be offered health insurance - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_21045438#ixzz20G3r5HG4


Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_21045438

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Let's see the repugs fight this one.

[antigop]

1. Wow! Maybe I'll become a firefighter to be able to purchase federal health insurance coverage. n/t

[bread_and_roses]

2. And what does "Federal health insurance" cost?

Since I don't have it, I don't have a clue?

[elleng]

4. Varies with the plan one chooses.

Feds pay % of premium, employee pays balance.
LOTS of options; for example, my family and I have mid-range/cost BC/BS, called 'standard,' and there is a
'low' option and a 'high' option.

http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/

[bread_and_roses]

23. Then how are "temporary seasonal workers" going to afford it?

from the article:

temporary seasonal workers who descend into fire zones are usually young people who work sundry outdoor jobs, depending on the time of year. Some pick up contract work removing trees in the fall or they work at ski areas in the winter. Many are college students.

Read more: Obama directive offers wildland firefighters health insurance - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_21045438#ixzz20JJWP935
Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse

And if it's some sort of month-to-month deal - like rent, say - well, what happens if a person is seriously injured and requires ongoing treatment?

This seems to me to be much ado about ... not much. The "opportunity" to "buy' health "insurance" really doesn't go very far.

[Coexist]

20. depends

there's FEP, GEHA, etc, they have different options and premiums, same as most businesses.

[elleng]

3. Great.

There are terrific options available, in FEHBP.
http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/

[bluedigger]

5. Thank you, Mr. President, for taking quick, decisive, and morally correct action!

[Duval]

9. Thank you, bluedigger! :)

[Iliyah]

8. If Mittens win he will claim

we don't need police, teachers and FIREFIGHTERs!!

[Cholley71]

10. Spam deleted by Warren DeMontague (MIR Team)

[movonne]

14. Maybe that is why

they want us have guns,guns and more guns for our protection...

[JustAnotherGen]

16. Thank you

For lightening this place up! And live your link. my husband and I are rolling here and it's not the 30 year old scotch!

[Lionessa]

7. Just for the time they're active or for the season or year? From article:

Not yet known is how many people are eligible and how long they will be able to qualify for the federal insurance program, since many move on to other jobs by the time the first snow falls.

If it's only for during the active duty part, then it should be free, not a "chance to buy".

[elleng]

12. You don't pay premiums when you're covered?

Let's be reasonable, please.
As soon as one becomes a federal employee one selects coverage, and begins to pay premiums along with each pay period, every 2 weeks; the feds also begin to pay their/its share at that time.
I'm sure arrangements can be and will be made for what appear to be 'temporary,' or 'emergency' employees.

[Lionessa]

13. I don't agree. If they are only going to cover the time of active duty, it should be as free as our

military. As I suggested in a thread the other day, access to VA during that time would be an excellent alternative to federal insurance for temporary active duty firefighters, imo.

[sweetapogee]

24. well

I'm a traditional volunteer firefighter in PA. We live in a semi-rural area in the NE part of the state. Myself and many of my fellow FFs also are on the State (DCNR) Forestry crew. To be on that crew, we have to take 2 or 3 sixteen hour classes. Once that is completed, we are able to go out on wildfire calls with DCNR. It is indeed rare that a person completes the class and actually responds to fires all in the same year so the first year is training, second year you finally get to play.

While we are volunteer firefighters in our community, which means we do not get any pay for our service, if we are called out by Forestry we do get paid, it's about $4.00 per hour, taxable income. Because of work, i.e. my regular job that pays my bills, I haven't been on any forestry calls this year yet. May I say that I don't know anyone who does this for the pay.

In the spring, PA DCNR has what they call a pack test. It is not a requirement to take the test but if you want to respond out of state you must take and pass this test. It is physical test, you have to march 3 miles with 45 Lbs on your back in 45 minutes. We do not get paid for taking the test which eats up a good chunk of a saturday.

If I want to go out of state, I also have to provide transportation to and from. For obvious reasons I'm not inclined to take 2 weeks off from my regular job and travel out west at my expense to get paid basically nothing. While I'm on the job I would be covered for workmen's comp and have food and lodging and have tools provided but I have to provide (same as in PA) my own PPE, paid for by me.

Wildland fire service even in the tame eastern US is hard dangerous work. I have several times found myself in semi-nightmarish situations. I have a good friend that was burned badly on a small 5 acre fire. Snake bites and broken bones are common. I have no idea what the federal forestry dept pays and how long the duty cycle is (weeks/months) but if the state pays $4.00/hour, use your imagination. Also I don't know what percent of the wildland FFs are federal compared to state/local. So I admit to not knowing all the answers but lets say they get $20.00/hour (what do census workers get?) and work for 6 weeks that's less than 5K per year taxable.

Now based on what I have mentioned above, just how excited does anyone think the FFs are about this offer to buy health insurance?

[Esse Quam Videri]

25. Thank you so much for you dedication and service

I agree. Why should these people who are barely making a living wage have to buy their health insurance?

[Lionessa]

27. Exactly. That's why I think it should be free and/or put on VA benefits for the active duty time.

I think you and I are in complete agreement. Being offered a "chance to buy" temporary health insurance is bs. Instead provide free insurance or direct healthcare opportunity through the VA.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. Wonderful

[Ian David]

15. OMG! SOCIALISM!

[MsPithy]

17. I'd be happier if the President had said, "Find a solution and GET IT DONE!"

Or, "Fucking get it done!"

[Kingofalldems]

18. This is an outrage!

Said the republican.

[mchill]

19. They'd collected 100,000 signatures

Got a lot of TV time for their cause during the Waldo Canyon Fire. The cause had collected 100,000 signatures in-house. I'm amazed to see this happen as a federal employee of 34 years. Generally, the permanently appointed government employee pays about 1/3 the premium, the government 2/3rds. My responsibility for a Self-Only plan is $87 every 2 weeks. I think the Family Plan runs about 2.5 that, approximately. ($350 deductible $5000 out-of-pocket $20/$30 copays, no dental or eye care unless for medical reasons)

[magic59]

21. Thats great, but

why not give all Americans that choice?

I am tired of living in a country whose only national health care system is the Zombie Apocalypse. 50 million walking dead.

[Historic NY]

22. Its dangerous work and for the most part they are college kids.......

good move in recent years there has been a number of deaths .

[madrchsod]

26. actually they should be covered under workmans comp.

if the feds and the states want to pick up the tab then so be it. having temp fire fighters pay for there own insurance while doing public service is wrong.

obama was cluless in even suggesting these people should pay for their injuries.

[wordpix]

28. but the deficit! Waiting for the R's to spin this one...