Gorgieboy

I am getting married to a USC three weeks tomorrow and my better half had assured me that, during a short period of unemployment, I could be included on her medical insuranec coverage for a very small charge.

After weeks of pressing her to ring up and provide her policy info and get an exact quote she did so today and we learned the cost would be $250 a month.

Does anyone know of basic policies at companies that would work out cheaper than this? I did google but was inundated with websites so thought I would seek a personal recommendation!

Basically, I will unemployed for a minimum of six weeks (waitinmg for working papers to coem through) starting September 10 and then however long it takes me to find a job.

Thanks for any help offered!

Noorah101

Your specific question isn't visa-related, so I moved your thread to the USA forum, where there are many discussions on Health and Medical Insurance.

Rene
Moderator

ian-mstm

This is likely way less than you could get on your own. Grab it... it's a good price.

Ian

Bob

$250 a month extra, tbh, that's pretty cheap....

Also, quite a lot of recent threads on this subject, so have a search if you want other recommendations...I still say go for it.

meauxna

$250 *is* a very small charge?

Gorgieboy

Thanks for the replies so far. I kind of knew in my heart of hearts that was a 'decent' deal. I just hoped it wasn't because money during the initial unemployment period is going to be tight!

lansbury

That in fact seems quite a reasonable cost I doubt you will get much cheaper unless you find a policy where you will end up paying a lot in deductibles should you need to claim.

Rete

I have to agree as well. $250 per month is nothing especially since the coverage you get with a company policy is much preferred over the one you would take out privately. Deductibles and co-pays will be much less with the company's group policy.

And when you finally get a job, you might not be offered medical or if you are, compare the coverages between yours and hers and take the better of the two. At the end of this year before the start of the new year, the cost of the premium can be added to any flex spending plan you or she has with the companies you work for and it can be deducted as tax free money.

Dan725

+1 on Rete's and everyone elses comments....I'd grab it - there's no guarantee that when you get a job you'll have benefits; or there might be an exclusion period before the benefits begin, for just a couple of examples.

I'd be surprised if you could do much better on a standalone policy, even with a high deductible...in addition you may run into a hullabaloo regarding status/time in US, etc. Easier to jump on this one as offered.

meauxna

Well, if he's got the time and patience to dig through the shopping, he could find some temporary cover for less, to be fair. Like you say, much easier to grab what is there while he can.

But, Gorgieboy, what we are talking about then are policies for emergencies, not for going to the doc for the sniffles. If you choose a policy with a high 'deductible' (where you pay the first, say $5000 out of pocket) the premium (monthly charge) is much lower. These policies are good to keep from bankrupting you if you're hit by a bus, but don't pencil out if you go to the doc a lot for 'minor' things.

PS: press your fiancee a bit on this.. one of the major things that I'll bet you *think* you think alike on is this one.. many US vs UK people have a different attitude toward healthcare because of the way it's delivered here.

md95065

Another reason for just going ahead and being added to your wife's company health plan as soon as you are married is that most of those plans only allow enrollment during an annual "open enrollment" period (which could be on any arbitrary date) or as the result of a major "life event" such as marriage. So, if you change your mind later you might have to wait for almost a full year before you could enroll.

Also the rules about the period for which insurance companies can exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions are different (and more in the insurance companies favo(u)r) if you do not enroll in the plan as soon as you are eligible - in your case as soon as you get married. (Essentially they are trying to discourage people from waiting until they get sick before enrolling in the plan).

augigi

Sounds good - my company insurance is around $100/month I think.

Jerseygirl

Like others have said it sounds like a good deal. After using the NHS you will find American healthcare a huge shock. Even with insurance you will most likely have to pay co-pays, deductables and anything the insurance company doesn't care to pay for. That's before we start a discussion on the cost of meds.

Ozzidoc

Yes. My husband's plan - I don't know if it's under the HIPPA law - allows a gap of something like 60 days between insurance providers. They are letting me join.

As the NHS is recognized as such a provider, I have to be enrolled in my new (husband's) insurance co within that time, which ensures I have immediate cover and no waiting period.

Bob

not that it applies here, but if you had lost your job and was offred cobra and didn't take it, you could back pay I think a years worth if you got new insurance and needed to show continous coverage...hefty bill, but if you got it through a good job, always worth a punt in asking for it as a signing on bonus