Thread regarding Walmart layoffs

@a6
they just give you money

uh, the cost of living there is very very high
you will leave surgery and live on the street
not sure it's a win

That's too bad Walmart had to get rid of that 300 dollar max deductible for the richest of the rich in California, that's just breaks my heart.

It's called a job transfer, something people do at walmart non stop all the time, and if you are already employed your premiums will be very very low, and also if you're dying does the rest matter?

@ag So let me get this straight:
If you're terminally ill and need a fortune for surgery, the plan is to relocate to Hawaii (perhaps by liquidating all your assets on the continent, that is easy, can be done in a couple of days, then take a speedboat with all your stuff to Honolulu), get a job at Walmart (they will obviously hire you on the spot, because you're in great shape and such an asset to the company), then have your free surgery. This is pure genius, lets hope no one else finds out about this loophole.

@ab Nice update. Thorough and correct. Well done. The OP obviously has her head squarely up her re---m. A case of opticalanalitis, which she could get fixed (she says) in Hawaii for free. :)

My sister is a nurse in Hawaii. There’s no free healthcare in Hawaii. It’s like the same as over in conus. Deductible, copays, everything is the same. There’s no free healthcare in Hawaii unless you are on the Hawaii version of Medicaid

@aa You didn't tell your Robot you worked for Walmart, OP is saying if you work for Walmart and you can relocate to one of the eleven Walmart's in Hawaii then this is possible. Or you could always go through the travelling to the Mayo clinic across the country and get surgery done by a total stranger and it will pay 100% in most cases. Just better hope that STD and LTD doesn't run out because when it does, you're fired, dying or not. And Sedgwick is such a blast ! BTW they don't tell you making the premium payments when switching from STD to LTD is back on you to do, so many end up losing their coverage because they didn't know they had to pay, STD pays for you, LTD does not. Sedgwick handles STD and Lincoln handles LTD. It's all designed to sc--w you over.

@ab 1.5% capped, btw I'm too se-y for Taylor Swift, I'm too se-y for my shirt.

@OP, you're being aggressive while uninformed, which is common these days (calling someone "hater" shows your unhinged side, you sound a little like Taylor Swift; BTW, I'm not the one you called "hater")

Here's what I dug up for the rest of the people:

Employer coverage is the big reason Hawaii feels cheaper

• Hawaii has the Prepaid Health Care Act, which requires most employers to provide health insurance if you work 20+ hours/week.
• Employers usually pay most of the premium
• Employees are capped at paying ~1.5% of wages for their share
  This makes coverage feel “almost free” to many workers — but it’s employer-paid, not government-paid

You still have:

• Deductibles
• Copays
• Coinsurance
• Out-of-pocket maximums
  So: cheap for many workers, not free, not universal

1. If you’re buying insurance on your own (no subsidies)
   If federal subsidies are gone:

• ACA Marketplace plans are expensive, just like the rest of the U.S.
• Full, unsubsidized premiums in Hawaii can easily be hundreds to over $1,000/month, depending on age and plan
• You still pay deductibles and copays on top of that
  This is where the “Hawaii has free healthcare” myth really breaks down — self-employed, early retirees, and gig workers feel the cost sharply.

1. Medicaid (Med-QUEST) is still low-cost — but only if you qualify
   If your income is low enough:

• Med-QUEST (Hawaii Medicaid) can have $0 premiums or very small ones
• Minimal copays
• Broad coverage
  But this applies only to income-eligible residents, not “most people.”

1. What Hawaii does better than most states
   Even without subsidies, Hawaii still stands out because:

• Very high insurance coverage rate
• Strong employer mandate
• Fewer completely uninsured people
• More predictable access to care than many mainland states
  That’s likely where the rumor comes from — coverage is common, not free.

Here's what my robot says:

Hawaii does not provide free or zero-premium healthcare to most residents.
Healthcare is usually obtained through employer-mandated insurance, Medicaid for low-income residents, or full-price private plans. Without federal subsidies, people who are not employer-covered or Medicaid-eligible face significant premiums and standard out-of-pocket costs.

@a7 Which ear? Mom get off the web.

@a6 You can kiss both sides of my butt, it is true, look it up you keyboard warrior, and I've taken premium payments from Walmart employees in Hawaii and it was less than 5 bucks and they are taxed like you wouldn't believe but it's more or less absolute free healthcare no matter the illness. Keep trying though hater.

@OP ... and the natives are going to operate on you, wearing flowers behind their ear?

First of all, that’s just not true. But, if you move to Minnesota and say you’re Somali, you can get everything for free.