During indoc we got handed out a form to fill out if we wanted to join Delta Pilots Mutual Aid, or DPMA in Delta language. They are giving me some numbers on some flyers and with a little math it adds up to paying the same as your regular health insurance. I realize it is not a substitute for your regular health insurance, but is it this worth it? Is it something that is common to sign up for? Is it just another PITA deal you have to deal with if the XXXt hit the fan? I have never heard of such a thing and is seriously looking for advice from DAL guys that have used it, or have opinions about it. Thanks in advance for your time and input.

FV,
Give your calculations a once over one more time. My first four months at Delta the DPMA averaged around $6.50/ month. I have not had to use it nor do I hope I ever will. But, it's nice to have another option and another backup.


ADDED:
Yeah, My Math was off it was about $6.50/ pay period!!!!

My understanding was that is was a supplement income for a 36 month period that couldn't be used more than one year at a time, if you were injured or for some reason unable to work.

(I'm just trying to remember what they said last July when I went thru)

My math is up to speed and the estimate is correct with the numbers I have received. Their last statement says $4.70/$1000,- earned.

I am just allergic to anything that has to deal with insurance, seem like they are there only to see if you are willing to hire an ambulace chaser (a.k.a. Lawyer) and never there to help mutually when things happen. I am more than willing to, and have several times helped fellow pilots in need, I just don't feel like financing someone else's investment hobby. Please coorect me if I am off the track here - anyone...

DPMA is not health insurance nor is it an investment opportunity. I believe you only have a one-time chance to sign up for it and the window is limited. In short: get it.

If you were to be hit by a car tomorrow or get diagnosed with diabetes or whatever, Delta's Long Term Disability will pay 50% of your earnings. The DPMA benefit kicks in another 20% to bring you up to 70% of your monthly earnings, which is approximately what you take home after taxes. That's the whole point of DMPA....so that you and your family do not experience a financial hardship due to your inability to work.

Its a great thing considering approximately half of us will have a disqualifying medical condition before we retire from flying.

Its some of the cheapest insurance around and its very well administered.

Hope this sheds some light. They apparently didn't explain this too well in indoc, but there is a ton of info so I can see how you'd miss it.

Happy New Year!

Thank you, good to hear that someone is happy with it. I wasn't sure if it was worth considering but I did go through the regular health coverage in detail and you are pretty much dead on. Despite the fact that I do hate insurance, I will sign up for this one since it seems like it is run by us, for us.

Thanks again and happy new year!

I think your last part: "run by us, and for us" pretty much sums it up.

But don't EVEN ask me to explain all our new health care stuff for 2008....

Flare Armed nailed it. This isn`t a company plan, nor is it an ALPA plan. It`s run by Delta pilots for Delta pilots. You will have one shot at joining. I flunked my physical at age 57 1/2 due to my $hitty eyes and injuries sustained while in the military. When you are 30-40 years old, in good health, you think "I`m good to go for 60 (now 65)" A huge number of the senority list wont make it all the way. This is a wonderful program, it helped me with money until I retired 2 1/2 years later. I strongly recommend that you don`t miss the chance to get in on this program.

Once on the Deltanet it is pretty easy to figure out. I was reading the papers given to us during indoc, gave up and went back to the LOD..