Employer Health Insurance?

[Nish]

This year my employer is saying that any spouse of an employee that is eligible for insurance from their employer, or the government, may not be included on the employees insurance. Even if you opt to pay for the family plan.

Anyone else ever hear of such a thing? First I have heard of any company doing this and I'm wondering if it's a new trend or what the deal is.

[iamthelazerviking]

That is bizarre...haven't heard of that.

[Seajay]

It's worded a bit different for me, but yes (I think). If insurance is being offered for a partner that their business provides, one of the other business would prefer they use that insurance.
I think most of them either have a "fee" for doing such, or make you pick and only use 1.

The fact that they say "eligible" is odd.

[maggot]

All 3 companies I've ever worked for had that requirement.
I googled it and is says 84% of companies DON'T do this, so I guess I've been unlucky.

[Hp_lovecraft]

It could be worse-
I am self employed, but my wife's employer only offers a "Cadillac plan" for spouses, at about $700 a week (for the spouse) for terrible insurance.

Obviously, the whole point of a Cadillac plan is to price it so expensive, that nobody would ever actually pick that insurance.
But the problem with that is that if I try to get the state-sponsored health insurance, which is normally pretty cheap, it has a quirk that "if your spouse can insure you, then the cost of the state-plan is the same as the spouse-plan"

Any, due to the ACA, it is pretty much impossible now to buy insurance "off the shelf",
Crazy times. Crazy, just crazy

[Nish]

Full disclosure, my wife and I both work for the same company so it doesn't affect us. But this change still rubs me the wrong way, mostly because it's a pretty drastic change for those that it does affect and they kept a lid on it until the day open enrollment started. Just seems like a dick move.

[Axel]

Bizarre. Never heard of it. In my experience, if your spouse is eligible through their own employer, it's usually a better deal, but to require it? Nah.

[dukie]

Its probably because of the first payer system ( at least up here it would be). Everything has to first go through the persons insurance with the earlier birthday ( or something along those lines). IE we both have insurance through work. All of the kids bills have to go through my insurance and exhaust that before they can go through her insurance. 1 insurance company takes the brunt of it 100% of the time. I don't think any of my wifes stuff has to go through mine until after hers.

[DPrekel]

Yes. Have some family members who are part of Unions and that happens here.