WWPD? Health Ins (long)

kwitt22

First let me give you a little background:

In Jan 2012 I was laid off from my job. This job had great insurance. With little monthly expense and little out of pocket. After getting laid off we went on H?s insurance. His insurance is terrible (at least compared to what we had). We have to pay a lot out of pocket, with no co-pays. His insurance also has a policy that if I get a job and it has health insurance, and I don?t take it they will kick me off his insurance and I will not be allowed back on.

 

Fast forward to June 2012 I got a new job. I took a 12k pay cut from my old job, but had to take it or risk losing unemployment. HR told H I was ok on his insurance until open enrollment. It is now open enrollment, so I need to leave his insurance. The problem is with the pay cut, my pay barely covers our bills. I made more than H, so we are also in the same position with his pay. If I enroll in health insurance, we likely will not be able to pay our bills. However if I leave H?s insurance and don?t take my own then I will be without insurance.  I just don?t know what to do.

WWPD?

 

1.       Go on the cheapest plan at your work and cut expenses wherever.

2.       Stay on H?s plan and hope that they don?t find out I have insurance available

3.       Go without insurance

4.       Rio- offer me some alternative solution we have not thought of.

kcisthebombdotcom

2. You can't get in trouble for being on a family plan through your DH's employer just because you have insurance options through your employer. ETA: clearly I didn't read the first paragraph clearly. I can't imagine that is legal though that you can only be covered if you have no other insurance options.

ASmallWonder

I'd double check the info.  I have heard that they can charge you a penalty fee if you're eligible for other health insurance but not that they can refuse to cover you.

numeria11

Are you still looking for a better job?  If not that honestly needs to be priority number 1.  I know no one wants to look like a job hopper but if it's not paying the bills (part of which is health insurance) then you need to still be on the market looking for something that can.

 That said, if his insurance is that bad have you guys looked at putting your whole family on just your insurance?  What's the cost vs. the cost of his + yours?  I would guess it would be cheaper unless your new plan is even worse.  In that case sign all of you up for yours and drop his during open enrollment. 

Otherwise you need to sign up for your own because most likely they will find out and then you will be in real trouble when suddenly they wont cover a major surgery or something.

MrsJakes

It seems strange to me that they will kick you off his insurance just because you have the option of insurance somewhere else.

However, if that is the case, I would go with the cheapest plan available at your work. You have to have health insurance even if it means making cuts other places.

Does your new work have a family plan that you could all switch to? If so, your DH could drop his coverage through his work. Would that possibly save any money?

kwitt22

numeria11:

Are you still looking for a better job?  If not that honestly needs to be priority number 1.  I know no one wants to look like a job hopper but if it's not paying the bills (part of which is health insurance) then you need to still be on the market looking for something that can.

 That said, if his insurance is that bad have you guys looked at putting your whole family on just your insurance?  What's the cost vs. the cost of his + yours?  I would guess it would be cheaper unless your new plan is even worse.  In that case sign all of you up for yours and drop his during open enrollment. 

Otherwise you need to sign up for your own because most likely they will find out and then you will be in real trouble when suddenly they wont cover a major surgery or something.

I actually applied for a promotion at my place of employment now. If that doesn't work out I will be going to Nursing School. Unfort. I don;t have much experience in one field. I got lucky and got great pay at the job where I was laid off. I hate to say but I have been a job hopper since college. It's not something I am proud of but I did what I thought had to be done at the time. I am trying to gain experience where I can for now.

smerka

I'd go with number 1.  That's the most responsible and ethical choice.  I SAH but I work part time and seasonally doing taxes.  They have a really crappy insurance option there.  I had to prove to DHs employer that the insurance at my work was not really insurance coverage (more like catastrophic coverage)  or pay an extra $100 per month to stay on DHs insurance.  

Post your budget.  Maybe we can help find places to cut.