March for health care!

[Captian James F. Awesome]

Originally Posted by A//// Guy

Im actually on Cobra this month because I changed jobs and my new work insurance kicks in Oct 1st. 300 bucks gives me good coverage per month. Its not cheap but it works.

Just saw this, which kind of proves my point. I you need to do COBRA, your stuck with whatever you had. Sometimes thats a $300 plan, and sometimes it's a $1000 plan, whichever you had when you're layed off. Which leads to another great point. People are pretty much stuck with whatever the employer offers. I don't know what it's like at a big company, but at my small one, we have the choice between really expensive/no deductible, or the new super high deductible plan. Nothing in between.

[polishmafia]

Originally Posted by Captian James F. Awesome

Just saw this, which kind of proves my point. I you need to do COBRA, your stuck with whatever you had. Sometimes thats a $300 plan, and sometimes it's a $1000 plan, whichever you had when you're layed off. Which leads to another great point. People are pretty much stuck with whatever the employer offers. I don't know what it's like at a big company, but at my small one, we have the choice between really expensive/no deductible, or the new super high deductible plan. Nothing in between.

Also, don't forget that if you have a $300/month or $1000/month plan, your employer can adjust the cost for you up to a 10% administrative fee. :P

Another great point? You're stuck with what your employer offers? Not true. You can go out and get individual insurance (for yourself only, or plus a spouse/children). Just because someone doesn't want to go research their options doesn't give them a right to bitch about having to choose from two "bad" plans. The employer is at fault, too. They should shop around and find an insurance company that would let them choose from more than two plans. A "good, better, best" option (depending on what your definition of "best" is) is offered by many, many companies.

[Captian James F. Awesome]

Originally Posted by polishmafia

Also, don't forget that if you have a $300/month or $1000/month plan, your employer can adjust the cost for you up to a 10% administrative fee. :P

Another great point? You're stuck with what your employer offers? Not true. You can go out and get individual insurance (for yourself only, or plus a spouse/children). Just because someone doesn't want to go research their options doesn't give them a right to bitch about having to choose from two "bad" plans. The employer is at fault, too. They should shop around and find an insurance company that would let them choose from more than two plans. A "good, better, best" option (depending on what your definition of "best" is) is offered by many, many companies.

I guess I can't really speak from experience. Never been layed-off. But, how many people seriously do that? I want to see a hands up. You completely lose the benefit of not being in a pool with individual plans (which are a huge savings for large companies and states). And employer plans are so heavily subsidized by the employer you'd never compete with them for cost. I know it's possible to do, but really who does it?