Work benefits? health Insurance?

thedude_frombaywatch

So, i am turning 28 in a couple of days and my mom suggested I get some health insurance because my father passed away with prostate problems. I think it's sound advice. I'm a really healthy guy since I moved in with my wife 2 years ago. She's mildly OCD and eats nothing but veggies and organics. Which means I do too. I've grown really accustomed to it though.

My mothers advice though came to heart because I figured eating right and going to the gym was my insurance for my health. Don't smoke, drink, or party much. Pretty much a shut in mostly. But I work a lot so that could be it.

I was looking for a place to see a Doc in San Jose, CA. But it seems like my choices are Here Or pay Kaiser Permanente an expensive 300-400 monthly for individual health insurance. But since I'm pretty healthy I don't think i need all that.

Anyone recommend any type of health insurance I should go with?



As a bonus question. My mother brought up the issue that I work 38hrs a week with company that helps kids tutor over the internet for the State of California and they should have offered me health insurance.

Is that right? Do they base who to give insurance to by full time and part time? I do work 38hrs a week. I know for a fact that managers do get benefits but not regular employees.

But where do I stand? Been working with them for a year almost.

Midshipman

You absolutely need to get health insurance of some sort. You should be able to find a high deductable plan (probably with included preventative health check-ups) for less than $300 a month. Basically you need insurance both to protect you from being un-insurable if you later develop any conditions, as well as needing protection from unforseen accidents and illnesses.

My ex was pretty healthy until she came down with an unexpected illness that landed her in the hospital for a month. She had the bad luck of being 1 month away from her new job's health insurance kicking and her college health coverage had expired a month or two prior. She was handed a bill for over $100,000 just from the hospital (not counting all the doctors that bill separately). She was able to negotiate it down to about $20,000 or so. If she had gotten a cheap private insurance policy to cover that gap, she would have only been out about $5-6,000.

MushroomStick

Do whatever you have to to get health insurance. I was always healthy too. Then one day, when I was 26, I woke up with a bad stomach pain that would've resulted in over a million and a half dollars in medical bills if I didn't have insurance. Try and get a lower deductible insurance if you can - you'll be more likely to put off doctor visits if it costs you a grand a visit than you would if you get something with a more reasonable copay.

Deebaser

You may be healthy now, but you aren't going to be healthy forever and even a simple hospitalization can wipe you out and put you in bankruptcy. Be responsible and get health insurance.

That said, California has a great individual market for healthy people, but the second you have a pre-existing condition or excessive utilizationm, you're fucked son. If you think $300 is bad, wait till you graduate to the next age band.

Ask your employer about benefits. If they pay you as a 1099, you're shit outta luck. Even if they don't you still may be SOL as they are able to not offer insurance to your class of employees, but it is most certainly worth looking into.

thedude_frombaywatch

Alright. How do I start searching for some good individual plans in CA? Should I just choose by going site to site? As for work. I get a W2. Hope fully I can land management this August and I'll be good. If I apply for insurance now and I get available insurance from work later can I cancel the former insurance and go with what my job offers without any problems?

Phoenix-D

thedude_frombaywatch wrote: »

Alright. How do I start searching for some good individual plans in CA? Should I just choose by going site to site? As for work. I get a W2. Hope fully I can land management this August and I'll be good. If I apply for insurance now and I get available insurance from work later can I cancel the former insurance and go with what my job offers without any problems?

In general yes, but you may have to go for a few months before you can cancel.

Creidhes

This may be a silly question (and I'm sure you thought about it already), but does your wife have insurance at work? It costs me maybe 20-30 bucks a month to add my spouse to my plan at work.

Mr Obersmith

I can't speak to California, but at least in RI as soon as you are eligible for group coverage offered by your employer (even if you don't take it) you can't continue on an individual policy.

thedude_frombaywatch

My wife doesn't. But I did ask this question to my lead today and they said since I'm a seasonal worker I don't get insurance. Learned something. Well going to work extra hard to get that promo!

MagicToaster

Medical insurance is an investment in your finances first and your health second. Wit this in mind, understand that all insurance companies have different products with varying prices, the one which is right for you is the one which is:

A. Within your budget
B. Accepted by your physicians (Family doctor, Dentist, Optometrist, Specialists)
C. Covers your pharmaceutical necessities

Basically, thats all you need. Everything else is just advertisement.

True story on insurance:
My health insurance covers all the above points. However, being a healthy young person, I never really used it. However, life changes, one year Im single, the next year Im married and BOOM my wife is pregnant. If I did not have insurance to cover her, this unexpected event might have broken me financially.

The moral is, insurance is an investment in your finances first, your health second.