Is your company sticking it to you for your employee medical coverage next year?

My company's enrollement period doesn't start until November, but they have already forewarned us "due to low participation/or other issues" that they are doing away with our HMO!  So we'll all be forced to go with a ppo plan, which everyone knows is at a substantialy higher cost for employees.

I am so thankful that I've already had my surgery & that I don't have any ongoing medical conditions.  One of my co-workers has RA & has to do monthly treatments that are currently covered by just a co-pay, but will cost her thousands of dollars next year with a ppo.  However, my labs, which cost me nothing now, will cost me about $200 next year.

I wonder if my employer & others are using obamacare that is not due to go into effect until 2014 as an excuse to pass on the buck to us now.

I actually prefer the ppo option.  When I had hmo my treatment options were limited by their facilities, drs etc.  The hmo was fine for well child care, healthy people and some common conditions.  But in my experience, it does not work well for serious chronic degenerative conditions or disabilities. 

Due to the relatively small number of providers as compared to ppo, hmo was a take what you get situation.  I could not get the level of care I get now with hmo.  With hmo I had zero co pay for most visits and labs; however, my access to a larger number of drs and no refferals needed for specialists are well worth the $20/ $20/ $35 I pay for dr/ lab/ outpatiet hospital visits.  Fortunately as long as I stay in network my co pays are reasonable. 

I actually prefer a PPO option. As a healthcare worker myself I don't want anyone else trying to dictate who or where I get my services from.