Old job vs (potential) new job health insurance dilemma!

On Friday I was practically offered this great new job in an industry I'd rather work in, with people I'd rather work for/with. I was "recruited" by a friend of close friend. They are also very tight friends. The job is an amazing opportunity to get experience doing what I wanted to be doing, most jobs I want require more industry (marketing) experience - I just work at a university right now doing similar work but it's not my main job. I really want to take this job, really bad. I'd be working from home also. The big potential deal breaker is that this great new job doesn't offer health insurance right now, but they said they might after the new year. Another employee I talked to said that was supposed to be Q3 this year, but it was postponed until next year, so I don't know if it will happen but I sure hope it will. My mom recently passed away and I know my in-laws would say it's a no brainer, don't take the job. :( But I really, really, want this opportunity. I'm stumped. There has got to be a way to make this work? Can I get a good deal on health insurance or can I qualify for medicaid? The potential job won't start until mid to late January.

My current job health insurance is pretty good - $600 annual deductible $20 a month (used to be $0 for the history of the university) 80/20 coverage and earlier this year my endo got me CGM coverage for the sensors etc.

Tags: health, insurance

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Permalink Reply by Lili on November 22, 2011 at 8:17am

How old are you and which state do you live in? COBRA might be an option, although it can be pretty expensive.

Permalink Reply by Erika on November 22, 2011 at 8:42am

I am 30 and live in NC. I know about COBRA coverage, but I believe that's $450+ per month. Pretty expensive. Spouse only works part time (2 nights a week, enough to pay for food an gas for the week, unless a full-timer decides to quit or take a vacation) and no health coverage there. His parents buy his health insurance/meds/co-pays. I am what the university calls "vested" for health insurance - but I cannot get this until I am retirement age.

Permalink Reply by Lili on November 22, 2011 at 8:54am

In that case, it could be challenging. You probably don't qualify for Medicaid. Not sure if your insurance counts as "group coverage." If you don't qualify for group coverage (or COBRA), your state does have a high risk insurance pool. However, they're usually kind of pricy as well. Or you could try to get individual insurance. I applied and Type 1 diabetes alone did not disqualify me.

Permalink Reply by Erika on November 22, 2011 at 11:16am

Is blue cross blue shield the only insurance company that sells individual plans?

Permalink Reply by Laura S. on November 22, 2011 at 9:47am

Unless you and your spouse can become a group (which no, it sounds like not) then you have to find something as an individual through a health insurance pool. Our state offers a few options that way, you are not allowed to voluntarily drop what you already have but if it were because of a new job it would be fine. But you can expect to pay a whole bundle of money for these. We're self employed and under a group as two employees, and we pay $436 per month. I would say you're definitely looking at something around that range.
I think the ADA site has listings by state, so start there.
You can make some calls and work on it.
It would be a shame to turn down a wonderful job that you really want!

Permalink Reply by Diego on November 22, 2011 at 10:05am

This is a huge dilemma. I used to sell insurance so I have a little experience in this. You have diabetes and are on insulin, odds are you can not get individual health insurance. You will need a group plan or a state sponsored (pre-existing) insurance program. Medicaid will not be an option because you will be employed and (hopefully) making more than the state minimum. I also know that the "Obamacare" plan is coming about and that might be your savior. Check with upcoming regulations and see if you will be given an option to get individual health insurance with the upcoming regulations. the full plan will not be implemented until 2014 and with all the challenges being put up it may not make it to full implementation.

My recommendation is that you do your research with a licensed agent in your area. Check to see what your diabetes medicine costs really are. (They are not cheap)

Permalink Reply by Laura S. on November 22, 2011 at 10:12am

Yep, not cheap. And the state sponsored plans here have lousy pharmacy coverage.
I think you have to pay a large portion out of pocket and those meds add up fast.

Permalink Reply by Diego on November 22, 2011 at 11:22am

No humana and United healthcare and cigna and others will sell individual plan but you may not qualified to to the diabetes. If you go online and do a search for individual health care. Be prepared to have a whole bunch of agents call you. If you go on your phone and look for agents. Find a broker that has multiple company in Athens search for you. Just don't fall to pressure because right now you're looking in your considering the job change. Please forgive any missed typing this working correct grammar, I am doing this on my phone and it is auto correcting and I really can't change what I have right now.

Permalink Reply by Erika on November 22, 2011 at 11:43am

I checked out the high risk pool option in my state and anyone with diabetes is eligible along with dozens of other conditions.

http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-and-care/hea...

http://www.inclusivehealth.org/federaloption/who.htm

The quote for a $1000 deductible is $231 a month.

Permalink Reply by Laura S. on November 22, 2011 at 11:58am

That's not bad. Now you need to call and find out if there are any waiting periods, and run by a list of all your supplies and meds to see about prescription coverage.
You can do it without a broker, I do because the brokers I have used do not understand pumps and pump supplies and I end up making all the calls anyway (no offense Diego, but this is just my experience locally).
Find out what categories they put strips, sets, insulin etc in because that can make a difference too.

Permalink Reply by Diego on November 22, 2011 at 4:27pm

I have no problem with not using a broker. I know that a broker will work harder for you than a captive agent because captive agents will only try to push their company. In my experience you still need to educate them on your specific situation. I hope all turns out well.

Permalink Reply by Scott E on November 22, 2011 at 1:25pm

This is a tough one. I'd love to tell you to take the job, but without coverage I can't, in good conscience, say that. I have a job with no benefits, but my wife works full time and has an awesome benefits package which covers me as well. If not for her, I never would have accepted the position I have now.

How big (or small) a company is this? If they are talking about offering benefits next year, they'd better be working on getting the details together now. I'd start by having a serious discussion with this employer (perhaps not the hiring manager) to find out more about the insurance plans they expect to roll out. What details have been ironed out already? What will it cost you, and will this new "addition" to your compensation result in a cut in salary? Would they let you wait to accept the job until a benefits plan is rolled out?

The other option, if it works with your lifestyle, is to get a second part-time job strictly for the benefits. If you have a full-time job in something you really like, maybe supplementing it with a part-time job at Starbucks (with benefits) might make it worthwhile.

But please don't try to face diabetes without any insurance at all (unless your new salary is so great that you can easily afford it out-of-pocket!). That would be a huge source of stress, and you wouldn't be able to enjoy the new job.