Health tab up for GM managers

The Detriot News reports:

General Motors Corp.'s salaried employees will pay up to twice as much in monthly health care premiums next year as the automaker works to rein in its spiraling medical bills.

Besides increasing premiums, GM also is boosting annual deductibles, out-of-pocket maximum medical costs and premiums for dental coverage for white-collar workers, according to documents obtained by The Detroit News.

GM's 36,000 U.S. salaried workers have until Wednesday to choose from a variety of health care options for 2006.

Under the Enhanced Medical Plan PPO (preferred provider organization) plan -- based on using a network of selected physicians -- premiums will nearly double in cost. A single white-collar employee who currently pays a $25-a-month premium will see a 96 percent jump to $49 next year. The same employee's monthly dental contribution will go from $5 to $8, and the annual medical deductible will rise from $400 to $450.

Still not a bad deal.Do you know many people who are self-employed that pay $49 a month for health care? It's an even better deal if you are 50 pounds overweight and 50 years old.