Employer Healthcare

wanderer

Mon, Jan 05 2009, 3:56 pm

I'd like to approach my employer about healthcare, but want to be clear on the details first. I understand a certain amount will be reduced from my paycheck, but does the employer have to pay as well? Can it be for family or only for employee? What kind insurances are available for this?

I'd appreciate any info you have to share. I live in NY state.

Thank you.

wanderer

Mon, Jan 05 2009, 4:00 pm

They haven't offered it to anyone, and I want to approach them about it. I'm fine w/ reducing my paycheck for it, but I'm wondering the approximate range of $$s I'm talking about. And does it cost them more, as well as for me?

chaylizi

Mon, Jan 05 2009, 4:01 pm

I don't live in NYS. I work in the healthcare system & got my insurance subsidized by the company I worked for. they deducted btw 150-200 from each paycheck (every 2 weeks) in pretax dollars. dental & vision plans were not included in this amount, but were much cheaper. we got paid extra if we opted out of insurance, but were only able to do so if we proved that we had other medical coverage (ie- from dh's company)

STovah

Mon, Jan 05 2009, 4:11 pm

As far as I know, the employer does not have to offer any kind of healthcare, though it's nice if they do. Employers who offer healthcare range from paying full for employee, paying full for family, paying a portion of family, or paying nothing, but just offering the option of a group health plan. Where I used to work, you were eligible for employee coverage after 3 months of employment, though you could pay up the rest for a family plan. After 2 years of employment, they covered 70% of the family plan. Where I work now, you are eligible from the start, and they pay 70% of whichever plan you choose. Depending on the plan, the family monthly premium in NYS could range from 800-1200.

NotInNJMommy

Mon, Jan 05 2009, 4:32 pm

In general, when a company does pay for health insurance, they will cover a certain portion of the premiums. how much might vary from industry to industry, company to company, etc. so, it usually does cost the company something. How much depends on the size of the company, and their group contract with an insurance company.

In most cases, unless the other option is medicaid or possibly in some cases something like healthy NY, this is the least expensive option.

Also, it is common that health insurance rates (the premiums) are based on the number of people to an extent. ie. my health insurance has different rates if it's only me, or me and 1 person, or me and 2+ (ie. my spouse and at least one child). After me+2 people, the rates stay the same. (ie. after my 2nd child was born, my insurance rates did not go up) Of course, medical expenses can go up bc more people general means more out of pocket expenses (copays, deductibles, etc.) not covered by insurance.

I would approach your employer and see what they can offer you re: healthcare. See what they put in front of you first, then take it home and explore the details. IYH they will be able to accomodate you. It's a real brachah from Hashem.

MiracleMama

Mon, Jan 05 2009, 4:43 pm

Every business is different. Did you get an employee handbook or company policy when you were hired? This info would be covered there. If you are working for a tiny operation where they don't even have such a thing, they may not offer insurance either.
But again, each employer offers something different. Some pay for all, some pay for half, some pay only a small portion. Some will pay for the employee, but adding spouse and kids is all at your expence. Why not ask your coworkers about what they do and pay?

GetReal

Mon, Jan 05 2009, 5:06 pm

I worked for frum schools, one in NY, and neither contributed to the cost of my health insurance. But it was much cheaper for me to get through the school then to get on my own. Both schools offered single, couple, or family plans. If you're on the family plan, you pay the same amount no matter how many kids you had. A few years ago they offered me 350 for single, I think maybe twice that for couple or 1000 for family? Don't remember for sure. Good luck!

ss321

Wed, Jan 21 2009, 7:06 pm

colorful, if your boss never mentioned it, it could be that they dont offer a health care plan to their employees and thats the reason why it was never brought up.
to answe the question u asked kikavu (because I think she said I dont know), no working in healthare doesnt get you better health insurance. I get health insurance thru DH's work, so I dont know much about insurance offered by hospitals. My classmates get free insurance, but DH's plan, which we do pay for (but its something like 100 per month from his paycheck for a Empire BCBS PPO family plan, and a very comprehensive one at that), is great. His company offers differnt plans to differnt employees. Like the people who are in a union (the secretaries are in a union for example. The janitors have a union. The security guards have a union), are offered a differnent insurane, and only that insurance (I think its a Kaiser HMO thing). Depending on your rank and how much you make, that is the deciding factor in how much you pay vs how much your company pays. I know it works the same in school, like professors and doctors who are on faculty are offered a very different plan from a secretary I happen to know. But these are big companies were talking about, if you work for a smaller company it a) might not be that complex or (worse!) b) might not even be offered at all!

melbee

Wed, Jan 21 2009, 7:22 pm

I am also on the group plan at work, although not in NY. I pay roughly 100 or so out of each paycheck every 2 weeks for the HMO, but I was also offered this plan at the start of the job. Like others said, if they didn't mention it, it may be that such a plan does not exist, but it certainly never hurts to ask and find out.

I would suggest you do your research on the plan though and make sure the coverage is good. I like my HMO because right now I am going through pregnancy, and don't have to pay a dime for anything, including the birth itself. But with co-pays, etc. it can sometimes get quite expensive depending on the plan (although nowhere near as expensive as seeing a doctor with no coverage at all shock

) Also, going on a group plan means that if a better rate comes up somewhere else, the business can move and in some occasions, the doctor you are currently with may not be covered and you have to switch. I'm going through that now, changing OBs as I enter my 9th month, so just something to consider about group plans that's not so fun. Not all pediatricians and doctors are covered by every plan, so it's an important thing to be aware of going in.