Insure Me
June 6, 2008 6:07 AM
How do I select a health insurance policy?
My new boss doesn't participate in a group health plan. He will pay for my insurance, but I'm in charge of researching and selecting a plan. I wish I didn't have to do this, but I like the job so I'm cool with it. (I have COBRA now until whatever new plan I choose kicks in).
How do I even begin looking? Is there a reputable website to go to to get quotes? I'm open to something like a Health Savings Account, but again, I'm at a loss for how to begin looking. It would be a family policy, if that matters.
ehealthinsurance.com is great to compare plans and get some quick quotes.
posted by deepscene at 7:09 AM on June 6, 2008
posted by deepscene at 7:09 AM on June 6, 2008
Yeah, the state you are in is pretty essential information.
Here's some general outlines that might help you think through this:
1. Is there any way that you can convince your boss to get the insurance as a group policy? In some states, businesses are forced to underwrite a certain percentage of any plan offered through work, so this might not be an option, but 99.99% of the time you're better off with a group policy than with an individual policy.
1a. If your boss is worried about the paperwork, but otherwise open to the idea of doing the insurance through work (with you paying 100% of the premiums), then look into association health plans. The first place to go would be your local chamber of commerce--they probably know who could set you up. These association health plans are basically umbrella associations that group together a bunch of small businesses to qualify as a large group, which are usually not subject to medical underwriting, and whose premiums are generally more stable than those of small groups.
2. If your boss absolutely won't do it through the company, then you might try seeing if you qualify for group health insurance through any other avenues. Depending on what your job is, you might be able to join something like the Writers Association that does a group policy for its members (usually freelancers looking for group policies). Again, knowing what state you are in would help.
3. If #1 and #2 don't pan out, then you might look around at state programs. Massachusetts is the most high-profile example, but there are a few other states that have set up nifty programs for people in your situation (have the money but not necessarily access to insurance through work) to buy insurance.
4. If there's absolutely no way for you to get group insurance, then you're stuck in the individual market. In some states, this isn't so bad, as you have a lot of protections. In other states, this can be a scary prospect. In general (with a bunch of caveats depending on your actual state of residence), insurers don't have to sell you a policy if they don't want to, and they can exclude pretty much anything they feel like. In some states, the Blue Cross/Blue Shield plan might be the best bet, as they are sometimes required to offer a "standard" policy to anyone who wants it. You can check out these guides to learn what sorts of laws the individual insurance market is subject to where you live. The process here is usually to find an insurance broker and work with them to secure health insurance.
posted by iminurmefi at 7:33 AM on June 6, 2008
Here's some general outlines that might help you think through this:
1. Is there any way that you can convince your boss to get the insurance as a group policy? In some states, businesses are forced to underwrite a certain percentage of any plan offered through work, so this might not be an option, but 99.99% of the time you're better off with a group policy than with an individual policy.
1a. If your boss is worried about the paperwork, but otherwise open to the idea of doing the insurance through work (with you paying 100% of the premiums), then look into association health plans. The first place to go would be your local chamber of commerce--they probably know who could set you up. These association health plans are basically umbrella associations that group together a bunch of small businesses to qualify as a large group, which are usually not subject to medical underwriting, and whose premiums are generally more stable than those of small groups.
2. If your boss absolutely won't do it through the company, then you might try seeing if you qualify for group health insurance through any other avenues. Depending on what your job is, you might be able to join something like the Writers Association that does a group policy for its members (usually freelancers looking for group policies). Again, knowing what state you are in would help.
3. If #1 and #2 don't pan out, then you might look around at state programs. Massachusetts is the most high-profile example, but there are a few other states that have set up nifty programs for people in your situation (have the money but not necessarily access to insurance through work) to buy insurance.
4. If there's absolutely no way for you to get group insurance, then you're stuck in the individual market. In some states, this isn't so bad, as you have a lot of protections. In other states, this can be a scary prospect. In general (with a bunch of caveats depending on your actual state of residence), insurers don't have to sell you a policy if they don't want to, and they can exclude pretty much anything they feel like. In some states, the Blue Cross/Blue Shield plan might be the best bet, as they are sometimes required to offer a "standard" policy to anyone who wants it. You can check out these guides to learn what sorts of laws the individual insurance market is subject to where you live. The process here is usually to find an insurance broker and work with them to secure health insurance.
posted by iminurmefi at 7:33 AM on June 6, 2008
On the HSA / high deductible plan idea--definitely read this article from the Washington Post if you consider that route. They can be a good option for some people, but people often misunderstand exactly what they are buying.
posted by iminurmefi at 8:09 AM on June 6, 2008
posted by iminurmefi at 8:09 AM on June 6, 2008
Don't know if you and yours have kids, will be having kids, or will be having more kids, but if any of those are the case, do read Maternity Care and Consumer-Driven Health Plans, which breaks down the costs by comparing consumer-driven health plans, group managed care plans, etc. As iminurmefi pointed out, you want to be very very careful if you're going to choose a CDHP/HD plan. This report's pretty good about explaining stuff even if you and yours are not going to have (more) kids.
Disclaimer: I work for this place, but have nothing to do with writing the reports that get produced
posted by rtha at 8:42 AM on June 6, 2008
Disclaimer: I work for this place, but have nothing to do with writing the reports that get produced
posted by rtha at 8:42 AM on June 6, 2008
Oops, I wasn't paying attention and now see that the OP is Anon. and can't answer the questions.
As Iminurmefi pointed out, the state you are in is essential information.
Expanding on Iminurmefi's points 1 and 1a, another option is employee leasing. If your employer pays private health insurance for several employees, it might be more cost effective to go with employee leasing for benefits (and possibly payroll processing/retirement plans/other necessary benefits not typically provided by a small employer).
The above might not be an option for you at the moment, since it would be pretty awkward to have that conversation with new boss. However, it might be good to keep the info in the back of your mind for a time when you've been there a while and are more comfortable suggesting other options. If this route appeals to you, you might be better off sticking with your COBRA for 18 months (or however many months you have remaining) and then reevaluate prior to the expiration. This is an especially practical idea if you now have a great insurance plan. Private (non-group) insurance plans are usually very expensive and have high deductibles and/or high co-insurance.
2nding ehealthinsurance.com. If you want to check out health insurance companies directly, popular choices are: Assurant, Golden Rule, Blue Cross, Blue Shield and Kaiser Permanente. Some/all of these companies might not operate in your state.
posted by necessitas at 8:58 AM on June 6, 2008
As Iminurmefi pointed out, the state you are in is essential information.
Expanding on Iminurmefi's points 1 and 1a, another option is employee leasing. If your employer pays private health insurance for several employees, it might be more cost effective to go with employee leasing for benefits (and possibly payroll processing/retirement plans/other necessary benefits not typically provided by a small employer).
The above might not be an option for you at the moment, since it would be pretty awkward to have that conversation with new boss. However, it might be good to keep the info in the back of your mind for a time when you've been there a while and are more comfortable suggesting other options. If this route appeals to you, you might be better off sticking with your COBRA for 18 months (or however many months you have remaining) and then reevaluate prior to the expiration. This is an especially practical idea if you now have a great insurance plan. Private (non-group) insurance plans are usually very expensive and have high deductibles and/or high co-insurance.
2nding ehealthinsurance.com. If you want to check out health insurance companies directly, popular choices are: Assurant, Golden Rule, Blue Cross, Blue Shield and Kaiser Permanente. Some/all of these companies might not operate in your state.
posted by necessitas at 8:58 AM on June 6, 2008
3rding ehealthinsurance.com. They know which insurance companies operate in your state, and display their plans, options, and costs. Saves you time and effort of finding and jumping from one insurance company's web site to another.
posted by exphysicist345 at 6:47 PM on June 6, 2008
posted by exphysicist345 at 6:47 PM on June 6, 2008
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posted by necessitas at 6:20 AM on June 6, 2008