Delta Medical Benefits Questions
 

I'm gathering as much information as I can before finishing my application, and have a few questions. I've used the search function, but I can't seem to find a concrete answer on what Delta's health benefits are like...especially after the recent TA. :confused:

Can anyone elaborate on what the different plan costs would be for a family of 4? How much do you pay out of pocket per month? What are the deductibles? Copays? Prescription coverage?

What I have read on the boards about United Health Care hasn't exactly given me a warm fuzzy feeling. I have a daughter that requires continuing medical care...to the tune of $20k per year (with her prescriptions), so I'm guessing I would need the most comprehensive plan Delta offers? I'm just trying to get educated on how much I might expect to budget, should I get the chance to interview & be hired. :)

Thanks in advance!
NightCargo

There are a plethora of plans here at DAL. All from High Deductible to rational plans. We have a Plan covered by the PWA and the costs per pilot under the new PWA are 22% of the plan costs down from 31%. The coverages are a lot better, and more traditional from a few years ago. We also has the HSA and HRA plans. The max out of pocket including premiums per year is about 6-8K.

I will be looking at the benefits on the PWA protected DPMP this fall for my family of five. We are in the HRA Gold right now and the max out of pocket is about 7K. For a family is starts with 1500 bucks in a account. After you deplete that, you go to out of pocket to satisfy your 3000 per family, 1000 per individual deductible. They you go to your 5K in network 10K out-of-network max out of pocket on 80/20 coverage. For a jr FO max out of pocket is about 2 months of salary.

The PDMP will have new premiums for open enrollment this fall. Ask what the coverages are and the deductibles and premiums in Oct.

IMHO, the plans require a lot of out of pocket money, but that is the way of the world today. I would like to see improvements going forward. The DPMP rate reductions are one of the biggest highlights in the nwe PWA IMO.

Could you elaborate on what HSA, HRA, and DPMP stand for?

DPMP: Delta Pilots Medical Plan, the Cadillac plan (with commensurate premiums).

HRA: Heath Reimbursement Account (see ACL's explanation)

HSA: Health Savings Account (pre-tax contribution from your salary into a portable account in your name--but with much higher deductibles)

Health costs went up significantly from 2011 to 2012 (at least in the HSA--both premiums and out-of-pocket max). With BarryCare looming, there is every reason to expect them to continue to explode. We have only very limited contractual protection (outside of the outdated "traditional" DPMP) from the company increasing our costs basically at will.

The dental and vision plans are a joke. Embarrassing.

No more PPO plan. Sigh

Actually, for next year, the "new" PPO plan is just the old NWA PPO plan, which is, IMHO, better.

Nu

Good to know. Admittedly I'm guilty of not having done adequate research.