My back-door pension cut for 2007

My prescription costs for 2007 under the Aetna Medicare Part D foisted upon us by the Canadian Beacon guy:

$1,887.79

My prescription costs for 2006 under the United Health Care plan when Knight-Ridder owned the Beacon:

$109

The back-door pension cut, which is what the prescription coverage changes amount to since we have to pay the extra costs out of our BJ pension that pales when compared with our Social Security checks:

$1,778.79

And that's for 11 months of Aetna coverage. In 2008, you can add more than 8% to our back-door pension cuts. And I'm taking the same drugs that I did in 2006.

Fortunately, so far, the Canadian is paying our Part D prescription premiums. THAT would be the other shoe that might drop. Which would add at least another $800 to the back-door pension cut.

I know there are those out there paying more, mostly former BJ management types and/or people who took buyouts or those who retired after 1996, when I did. But those who retired by the time I did had a Guild contract and retirement-day letters that said that this wouldn't happen. So much for keeping your word.