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Health Benefits Coverage when changing jobs???
I will start this off by saying that I know that I am getting ahead of myself, as I have not even been offered the new job, but here is what I am already worried/thinking about:
I have a third interview (with a different group of people) on Friday for a job. I have gone through the interview process very quickly and so am thinking that a job offer may be a possibility. But here is my worry/question. My family used to be on my husband's health/dental benefits, but he was unexpectedly terminated from his job in the middle of January (you may remember a post I made about that situation, too). I am lucky enough to have decent medical/dental benefits at my current position and so we were able to switch the whole family to my benefits...as of today. I didn't intend to try to find a new job while my husband's employment status was so uncertain, but this came about from a resume that I had sent in prior to my husband losing his job.
If I am offered a new job and it is something that I would want and would be a good fit for me and my family, what do I do about healthcare coverage? I would assume that there is a waiting period of some sort before coverage could start for me and my family at my new position, but how do I broach that topic? Can I even ask about it or try to negotiate the start date of benefits? Do I just suck it up and pay for cobra in between?
Any advice? TIA
Re: Health Benefits Coverage when changing jobs???
First, I have never had a job where health benefits did not start on day 1. If there is a waiting period though, you are entitled to Cobra. This is expensive, but is retroactive. For instance, let's say you have to go to the emergency room, you can sign up for the Cobra and pay the $ premiums subsequent to having to go to the emergency room, and you will be covered.
I have had multiple jobs where benefit coverage doesn't start immediately.
I'd wait until you have an offer and ask HR at the place you are moving. It's state specific (possibly even insurance company specific), but at the place my husband will be working, I just need to get a certificate of coverage from my current employer stating the last day that I was insured. So long as the gap between my old insurance and the new one starting is less than 62 days, that certificate will be used to waive any pre-existing condition issues.
Also, ditto to what PP said with regards to COBRA being retroactive. You can give your employer a check and you have 62 days to decide. If you need it for some reason, the employer cashes the check and you had COBRA since the day you left. If you don't, they tear up the check and no COBRA for you.
This is what I know from moving from a NY plan to a TX plan. However, I haven't done this yet, so who knows how smoothly this will happen.
ETA: Keep in mind that often benefits run through the month even if your last day is not at the end of the month. So if you leave a job Feb. 15 and start one March 1, you may actually be covered the entire month. You should ask your current employer about that if you do get the new job.
I work for an insurer and implement benefits for employers. Most employers have a waiting period, usually 30, 60 or 90 days after date of hire (that one poster is lucky!)
You are probably better off buying a high-deductible individual health insurance plan. It will likely be cheaper than COBRA. Check the websites of the major plans (your local Blue Cross plan, Aetna, United to see what the cost might be). You can also check Assurant which offers cheap short-term plans and ehealthinsurance.com to compare plans. Individual plans are usually month-to-month or you can pre-pay for a couple months for a discount (I sound like an insurance agent - which I am!)
My current job had a waiting period. I started August 8th and coverage always starts at the beginning of the month. So I had to wait until september. We just paid for Cobra. It stunk since it was 1200 a month for the family, but you have to do what you have to do.
And no, don't try to cheat the system like PP suggested. Don't wait to see if you need it. First of all, thats sketchy. And second of all, you don't want to risk a gap anyway. Get Cobra if you have a gap.
You will have the option for COBRA at your current job.
My benefits started on the 1st of the following month (any month), but if I proved that I lost coverage prior to that date they would have started it earlier. You should be able to figure something out. You should not have any issues with pre-existing conditions unless you lose coverage for more than 30 days.