Health insurance

[beno44]

Girlfriend is paying almost $7K a year for her sons health insurance through work.. whats her other options?? Hers is paid fully by work, income about $50K and in Illinois

 

[JohnDaleswife]

Couldnt do it. Just couldnt. I would get a $35,000 job a year and get him on state insurance for next to nothing. Is it not $7,000 a year, not a month? Then more than likely there would be no co pays, deducticles, more % to pay.

 

[beno44]

Yeah, corrected that.. about $580 a month.. and the kids dad only pays about $400 a month in child support..

 

[LMN]

Well, I would say get another job that has better benefits, but the new trend is that companies with really great benefit packages are being forced to offer plans that cost more to the employees and offer less coverage than the plans they've offered in the past. DH works for a global well known computer company and we are being told that this year is the last year we will have the option to sign up for a PPO. Next year our only 2 options will be "health funds" which offer no copays and high deductibles. I blame Obamacare. The trend is to move towards these types of plans which really stink if you have any sort of health issues. Copays are going the way of the dinosaur. If I were your GF I would look into what it would take to get the ex back into court to amend the agreement so that he pays his share of the healthcare cost.

 

[tvguy]

That is about the going rate here for a dependent through a private employer.
How much is it through the Illinois health exchange? (The Illinois run Affordable Healthcare Act insurance system)
https://getcovered.illinois.gov/en

 

[Marionnette]

Girlfriend is paying almost $7K a year for her sons health insurance through work.. whats her other options?? Hers is paid fully by work, income about $50K and in Illinois

http://www.disboards.com/threads/health-insurance-question.3450998/

 

[beno44]

So she is paying $580... I see BCBS offering plans from $70-$220... why not just look into one of those??? Downside to that?

 

[Marionnette]

So she is paying $580... I see BCBS offering plans from $70-$220... why not just look into one of those??? Downside to that?

Is she even allowed (under the child support agreement) to drop the child from her insurance? I ask this because health insurance premiums are usually taken into consideration when support from one parent to the other is calculated.

Let's say that she decides to go with a cheaper plan with higher deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance than her current plan. Her child support agreement probably lays a certain amount of responsibility on each of the parents for paying those bills. In my brother's case, he covers his daughter under his health plan and must pay 70% of any medical bills. The Ex is supposed to pay 30%. What if my brother decided to cover his daughter under a cheaper plan where the monthly premiums are low but initial OOP costs are higher? He might save himself a lot of money but that would also mean that the Ex's OOP costs would rise. There would be hell to pay if she had to do that! And if your girlfriend's Ex is as big of a jerk as you paint him to be, I imagine that your girlfriend would end up sitting across from a mediator in family court, with the whole child support being recalculated.

So, before she just summarily drops the kid from her great insurance plan, she should really check to see if she is actually permitted to do so under the terms of their child support agreement.

 

[havaneselover]

Couldnt do it. Just couldnt. I would get a $35,000 job a year and get him on state insurance for next to nothing. Is it not $7,000 a year, not a month? Then more than likely there would be no co pays, deducticles, more % to pay.

That sounds like a bad long term strategy to me. In 15 years when the child is grown she would likely be in a much weaker financial position and have a lot less put away for retirement. Plus she loses $1,250 in income to save $580????

 

[PlutoPony]

So she is paying $580... I see BCBS offering plans from $70-$220... why not just look into one of those??? Downside to that?

Do the benefits of the $70-220 plans meet her needs? How do the benefits of the lower priced plans compare to her current plan?
Have no idea of the downsides without knowing plan details.

Also, can she remove her son at any point from her current plan or only at open enrollment time?

 

[Allison]

Couldnt do it. Just couldnt. I would get a $35,000 job a year and get him on state insurance for next to nothing. Is it not $7,000 a year, not a month? Then more than likely there would be no co pays, deducticles, more % to pay.

What is the advantage to cutting your income by $15,000 a year in order to not pay $7000 a year?

 

[havaneselover]

What is the advantage to cutting your income by $15,000 a year in order to not pay $7000 a year?

It must be the principle of it

 

[JohnDaleswife]

Well, I guess it would be if there was a lot more out of pocket expense incurred. Such as a high deductible, high co-pays, ect. My co-pays are $65 now. Is that higher than most of yours or right in line?

 

[Marionnette]

Well, I guess it would be if there was a lot more out of pocket expense incurred. Such as a high deductible, high co-pays, ect. My co-pays are $65 now. Is that higher than most of yours or right in line?

Co-pays for what? Routine visit with your primary? Office visit with a specialist? Brand name prescription drugs? Physical therapy? ER visits? Hospital stays?

Co-pays vary with the type of service received. And there are plans that can have high co-pays, but little to no coinsurance payments. Or they might have low (or no) deductibles. Or a low OOP maximum.

You need to look at the entire picture.

 

[Gracie09]

has she checked the CHIP program? She probably qualifies for low or no cost health insurance thought the CHIP program

 

[JohnDaleswife]

Your right. Sorry I wasn't clear. My bad. For all doctor visits its $65 co-pay. Adds up quick if we have 2-3 visits a month.

 

[havaneselover]

has she checked the CHIP program? She probably qualifies for low or no cost health insurance thought the CHIP program

I doubt it. Her income seems too high. She looks to be over 3x the federal poverty guidelines for a family of 2.

 

[ibob52]

. . .

 

[Gracie09]

I doubt it. Her income seems too high. She looks to be over 3x the federal poverty guidelines for a family of 2.

Well I did a quick search and put in insurance for one child with family income of 50k and it said check chip. So I would start there

 

[havaneselover]

Well I did a quick search and put in insurance for one child with family income of 50k and it said check chip. So I would start there

It doesn't hurt to check. But federal poverty level for a family of 2 is $16K. IL covers up to 300% of the FPL ($48K). I also think her child support would be included.