I had to Decline Health Insurance
@ElusiveButterfly (45939)
United States
July 18, 2007 6:29pm CST
One of the benefits offered me at my new job is health benefits. Working for health organization I thought that the cost would be lower and the benefits higher. Unfortunately, the cost was too much for us to afford. We would barely make ends meet with our incomes if I opted for the insurance.
My husband faces a lay-off in October because his work is seasonal. If I opted for the insurance now, we would never be able to pay our bills when he is not working. He is going to try to find a new job and is currently seeking the want ads for such an opportunity.
Hopefully, our health will not become an issue and we will not regret this decision. We do not have an extravagent lifestyle and do not live beyond our means. We can only hope that hubby will find a job that offers benefits that cost less than what we would have to pay through my employer.
5 people like this
18 responses
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
18 Jul 07
It is ashame that health benefits are so expensive, even for those that work in the health industry. I would think they would be lower for people that worked for the health insurance companies but obviously that is not the case. We all should be able to afford insurance without any worries or fears about expenses. I hope that you and your husband will be okay and that he will find a good job with good benefits.
3 people like this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
19 Jul 07
Most careers in Australia don't have health insurance associated with them, although a couple of the bigger government & private industry jobs do.
We have private health insurance companies, that the majority of people, who can afford it, are in.
1 person likes this
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
18 Jul 07
That sucks, but I understand, I am trying something, I now have insurance, I am going to the doctor, getting all of my tests done and if nothing exciting turns up, I am going to drop it until I can afford it better.
It is unfortunate that I work in a job where I could get injured at anytime yet can not afford insurance.
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45939)
• United States
18 Jul 07
I thought that I could drop my insurance when my husband is no longer working, but there is a clause that you need to keep if for one year. That sucks.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45939)
• United States
19 Jul 07
OT is very limited. The only exclusion is if you get another insurance coverage.
1 person likes this
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
19 Jul 07
That does suck, you sure there are no exclusion clauses...like a change in circumstance - marriage, divorce, loss of income?
Check into that...sometimes they don't tell you those things unless you inquire.
can you work OT, and make enough to cover the insurance?
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45939)
• United States
22 Jul 07
The hospital CEO thinks the insurance they offer is affordable. Of course he doesn't have to live off the salary we get paid.
1 person likes this
@brendalee (6082)
• United States
19 Jul 07
Insurance for health care is outrageously priced. Its hard for the working poor to afford it and then they make too much to qualify for any state assistance. I just recently got health coverage through the state(welfare) but only because I am not married to my boyfriend and he is not legally responsible for me. If we would have been married, I would not have qualified. And his insurance through work would cost too much. I hope you manage to stay well and I hope you are able to get some type of coverage soon.
2 people like this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
19 Jul 07
I think it is sad that everyone does not have affordable health care in this great country of ours. We are in so much debt as a result of medical bills that when I die...they will probably take everything we own to pay them all off. That is just from medical bills. We do not use credit cards at all.
As a note. I had a brother in your same situation. The difference was that he had four children. He opted to not get the insurance and that summer his oldest son broke his arm twice and other medical problems occured. He wished he had gotten the health insurance.
@ElusiveButterfly (45939)
• United States
19 Jul 07
I try not to think of what could happen. We will have to cross that bridge when and if we come to it.
1 person likes this
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
19 Jul 07
I have not ony lived through this same situation many times but I see this happen all the time. It's very unfair as far as I'm concerned. Here you two are doing the best you can and it seems the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The unfortunate thing is our health can appear excellent today and a heart attack can hit tomorrow and change your life forever, as what happened to me. I pray your health will remain good and that hubby gets a job with full time hours. Good luck and know that I am thinking about you. Take Care. ((HUGS))
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45939)
• United States
19 Jul 07
Thanks Grand of 2. We thought of this decision long and hard before coming to the conclusion that we just couldn't afford it.
1 person likes this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
23 Jul 07
It is so sad that healthcare is not more affordable. Hopefully you will be able to find a way to get some insurance soon.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157946)
• United States
21 Jul 07
We were in a similar boat last year, not about health insurance, but about my husband having any kind of job at all. He had worked for over six months merchandising plants and shrubs for a company, and the pay was terrific, and they paid mileage and travel time, but no benefits. I cannot afford him on mine. That is how it is anymore. Then the job was seasonal so he had that looking time again. The job he has now is not the greatest, but he can afford his insurance, my job pays about 85% of mine. Here is wishing you luck, or hubby luck, as the case may be. Wish my hubby luck at finding something comparable but in town to save gas and time. If it is not too much to ask for, the same shift as I am on would be great as well.
1 person likes this
@lucy02 (5016)
• United States
19 Jul 07
I understand. My husband doesn't have insurance at his work and I'm not working now so I had to seek private insurance. I had a hard time finding it but I got on the Blue Cross High Risk Pool for the state. The premiums are high but its the best I can do.
@shepards2003 (110)
• United States
23 Jul 07
Hi, I am sorry you are having these problems getting AFFORDABLE health insurance. I know how that goes my husband is self employed as a truck driver and we were without healthcare insurance too. We have signed up for these health discount programs that give you so much of a discount on medical dental rx vision and so on and they seem to help out. But I thought i'd pass this on to you and maybe it will help you guys out too. Here is the website it is www.mybenefitsplus.com/40526445.
1 person likes this
@babystar1 (4233)
• United States
23 Jul 07
Yes my health insurance is very high also.Most of my pay goes on insurance for my hubby and myself. So when I get paid it like I did not work at all. It all goes on insurance. I hope your hubbby will fine a job that offers benefits. Stay healthy.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
19 Jul 07
I don't have private health insurance either. It is just way too expensive. I do have private cover for dental, optician & physio, as the first two are health areas that I need treatment with.
My husband has full private health insurance, as he has edical proiblems that requie specilist treatment. He keeps offering to put myself & Bianca on his cover, but that would double the premiuims.
Bianca has no health insurance at all. I have paid a small premium for dental cover for her, & she is insured for swimming & horse riding.
We all have ambulance insurance.
When I had my tummy tuck this year, I was in a publki hospital as a public patient, & I was very satisfied with the treatment.
The problem is, our Government wopnt b able top ontinue to afford such good public health over for ever. Thats why they are encouraging private health.
@happythoughts (4109)
• United States
26 Jul 07
Everything is getting to expensive to have now days. It should not be this hard to get health insurance. It should not be this hard to afford food and housing. The world is getting to be a very expensive place. I hope your hubby can find a good steady job soon. Good luck
1 person likes this
@66jerseygirl (3877)
• United States
18 Jul 07
I will say a prayer for you. My job doesn't even offer insurance .can you believe it? I work for a nursing agency and no insurance.I know of a lot of people who cannot afford the insurance at work. I think something should be done about that.that's awful that they charge so much which is probably why they charge that much in the first place
2 people like this
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
19 Jul 07
Well, around here in the Seattle area, it depends on where you work as what place offers what, and what the Cost would be. I personally would Love my husband to have Better Health Insurance than what his place of Employment offers. I really would Love him to have better insurance but since he has been at the same job now for 22 yrs. it is easier said than done. I have not too bad of Insurance where I work, but sometimes consider it to be confusing to figure out.
@rusty2rusty (6751)
• Defiance, Ohio
19 Jul 07
I understand how you feel. I am lucky enough that we have my hubby sinsurance. But until that kicked in...it sucked now having it. With kids ...there is always someone who needs to go to the hospital. I know the insurance we have could be alot better. But the prescription card alone is worth it. I just paid 65 bucks for four prescriptions at Wal-greens yesterday. (I have more than tha to get but the others haven't ran out yet) I saved almost 300 bucks. Which is less than the amount we pay per month. We pay 50 bucks a week for health insurance...So it equals out to actaully save us more in the long run.
I would check around and see if you can find a low cost medical insurance offered somewhere else other than your work place. Try well known insurance companies....Good luck.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
19 Jul 07
It is terrible. In Canada, we have universal insurance,so we are never without it. However, it does not cover orphan diseases or medicines that are more effective than the ones covered. So if my husband or I got cancer, we would have to fork out extra. We just got the basic Blue cross plan and that is quite a bit. My husband got insurance from his work, but now he is retired, and we find we can no longer afford dental insurance. That was included as well as vision insurance. I have to be careful of my teeth now. They should offer universal health insurance down in the States because your employer might not offer health insurance or inadequate. We all cannot be healthy and I wish you the best.
1 person likes this
@vampoet (825)
• Singapore
19 Jul 07
I dunno about health insurance. I am in 2 views aboiut it. I mean, we pay and pay and pay for so0mething tha may never happen. Id rather pay and pay and pay for an investment so that if it really does happen, I have my profits to help me recover by then.
