Health Insurance H%ll

[GabachaYucateca 0]

So I work for a nonprofit and just found out that if I add my fiance (he'll be my spouse by this point) to my health insurance, I'd be responsible for the premium for him...I'd go from paying 150 a month to 800. Impossible. So when he's finally here, I'm going to have to quit my job and look for another with a family plan that they pay for.

Of course, hopefully at some point he'd get a job with health coverage, but that could be months. I just don't know what to do in the interim.

Has anyone else dealt with this? What did you do?

[Emancipation 2]

My hubby is a contractor and to add me it would cost 400$/ month more on top of his premiums. Until I have work authorization we bought a cheap "emergency" policy that doesn't cover pre-exisiting conditions, just if something catastrophic happens. That's about all we figured we could do. The provider my hubby found for me is www.sevencorners.com We haven't had need to claim anything (praying that we won't have to), so I can't speak for their service, but that was the solution we came up with

Edited March 21, 2007 by Emancipation

[Niels Bohr 72]

When my wife comes, I have to make sure she doesn't do anything heavy duty until she gets medical coverage.

[jlivings99 0]

It will depend on your location but men can often get inexpensive coverage through Blue Cross Blue Shield (or other providers). Look for a website for your area. Men are less expensive because they will price pregnancy coverage separately. Coverage including maternity is a lot more expensive.

Company plans can be expensive for covering a spouse since they do not distinquish between men and women. Also sometimes spouse only coverage is the same price as family so you are sharing the cost of both pregnant spouses and children.

I am signing my husband up with Blue Cross Blue Shield. My employer (State of North Carolina) wants $500 a month to add him to my coverage.

Hope this helps.

[GabachaYucateca 0]

Thanks for the suggestions!

I'm thinking tha the "emergency" health care may be the way to go.

My insurance is Blue Cross and I poked around their website to see if there were any options for me. There's one called BCBS HSA, but he's not eligible for a couple of reasons...1)since he's technically able to get insurance through me, albeit at an exorbitant rate, he can't get this (if I were a freelancer, that'd be a different story) 2) he needs the Green Card first and we all know how long that might take!

Thanks for the suggestions!

I'm thinking tha the "emergency" health care may be the way to go.

My insurance is Blue Cross and I poked around their website to see if there were any options for me. There's one called BCBS HSA, but he's not eligible for a couple of reasons...1)since he's technically able to get insurance through me, albeit at an exorbitant rate, he can't get this (if I were a freelancer, that'd be a different story) 2) he needs the Green Card first and we all know how long that might take!

[GabachaYucateca 0]

Also, my mother is having a meltdown because she's going to be my co-sponsor (especially because I'll be looking for another job this summer) and is worried that she'd be financially responsible if something catastrophic happened.

I'm just so frustrated....I love my work and I;m darn good at it, but working in this field, your pay is so low and they assume that you have a hubby with a good job and great health coverage since they can't afford to pay you.

I will need a good family plan in the next couple of years since I do want kids. I spend all day, every day making sure that the economically disadvantaged have what they need, yet my employer doesn't provide me with what I need!

It sucks that I have to put off doing what I love to take care of myself.

[Nancy2015 2]

Trust me, I know what you're going through - we were in a similar situation with my hubby. His health insurance premiums were so high, that we didn't even consider adding me to the policy And high premiums are very common for non-profits, cause they are trying to pass as much health costs to the employees as they can.

I don't think you have Kaiser Permanente in Rhode Island, or do you? This is the cheapest HMO plan I know of, and it is very good.

Also, my mother is having a meltdown because she's going to be my co-sponsor (especially because I'll be looking for another job this summer) and is worried that she'd be financially responsible if something catastrophic happened.

No, she won't be responsible, unless your husband gets some kind of government benefits. If, God forbid, he needs to go to an emergency room at a private hospital, and gets a huge bill from them, your mother won't be obligated to pay it.

Good luck!

[Nikita2Charles 32]

That is quite High, is that coming from HR? normally you should be able to add your spous to your policy without any adverse effect. I would check on that again, as per EEO you can't discriminate on the basis of marriage, sex, and so on so to increase your payment to that level, not sure if it's even legit.

[Nancy2015 2]

That is quite High, is that coming from HR? normally you should be able to add your spous to your policy without any adverse effect. I would check on that again, as per EEO you can't discriminate on the basis of marriage, sex, and so on so to increase your payment to that level, not sure if it's even legit.

This is not uncommon at all. The reason the cost is so high is that if the employer is willing to contribute a certain percentage of the premium for the employee (let's say they pay 75%, and the employee pays 25%), they are less inclined to pay that much for the employee's dependents. If you want to cover a dependent, the cost of health coverage soars, and you will be paying most of it out of your paycheck. It's not about discrimination, it's about VERY high medical costs and the employer's ability (and willingness) to pay. Premiums like that are a norm in non-profits, in the service industry, etc.

Edited March 23, 2007 by Jewel12

[GabachaYucateca 0]

Jewel...sounds like you went through Exactly the same thing we are going through right now. Unfortunately no Kaiser Permanente in RI.

And what you just posted described us to a T...I'd be responsible for paying my 25% and 100% of the cost of adding him.

Makes me want to move back to Mexico!

[Nikita2Charles 32]

Thanks Jewel, Greetings from San Jose also

I never knew it was a common practice it in the service industry, I've always been in the high tech sector and it's not common, a few years ago my brother used to live with me he got some kinda insurance through school, I couldn't do anything for him, at work and most companies around here you can add your partner wheter married or not, straight or gay into your health insurance, you just have to sign dome kinda domestic partnership form and you are set to go.

HOpefully the couple can find something cheaper and like she mentioned maybe join another company.

That is quite High, is that coming from HR? normally you should be able to add your spous to your policy without any adverse effect. I would check on that again, as per EEO you can't discriminate on the basis of marriage, sex, and so on so to increase your payment to that level, not sure if it's even legit.

This is not uncommon at all. The reason the cost is so high is that if the employer is willing to contribute a certain percentage of the premium for the employee (let's say they pay 75%, and the employee pays 25%), they are less inclined to pay that much for the employee's dependents. If you want to cover a dependent, the cost of health coverage soars, and you will be paying most of it out of your paycheck. It's not about discrimination, it's about VERY high medical costs and the employer's ability (and willingness) to pay. Premiums like that are a norm in non-profits, in the service industry, etc.

[payxibka 10,047]

That is quite High, is that coming from HR? normally you should be able to add your spous to your policy without any adverse effect. I would check on that again, as per EEO you can't discriminate on the basis of marriage, sex, and so on so to increase your payment to that level, not sure if it's even legit.

As far as health insurance premiums are concerned... YES YOU CAN discriminate on the cost factor between classes of coverage as long as everyone within the class is treated the same.

Edited March 23, 2007 by fwaguy

[athena_ny 1]

Holy #######. You pay 150 just for yourself? I pay 250 a YEAR - goes up to 625 w/ my husband. Didn't realize how lucky I am.

I hope you find something =/ I had to go without insurance for about 3 months before I got this job and was terrified of something happening - even when I get a cold, it's so bad I HAVE to go to the dr.

So I work for a nonprofit and just found out that if I add my fiance (he'll be my spouse by this point) to my health insurance, I'd be responsible for the premium for him...I'd go from paying 150 a month to 800. Impossible. So when he's finally here, I'm going to have to quit my job and look for another with a family plan that they pay for.

Of course, hopefully at some point he'd get a job with health coverage, but that could be months. I just don't know what to do in the interim.

Has anyone else dealt with this? What did you do?

[GabachaYucateca 0]

Welcome to the wonderful world of working for a non-profit! Now is the exciting time of year when we get to find out if we still have a job....when the grant funding is either given or not.

[athena_ny 1]

Welcome to the wonderful world of working for a non-profit! Now is the exciting time of year when we get to find out if we still have a job....when the grant funding is either given or not.

Ah, I work for a major communications company, and didn't catch the non-profit part. Still...good luck in finding something!