My company's insurance carrier just sent me this in the mail:

Quote :

"Spouse/RDP Medical Surcharge: If you elect medical coverage for your Spouse/RDP who works full-time and has other group medical coverage available through his/her own employer but chooses only *my company's* medical coverage instead, you will pay the medical surcharge of $100 per pay period in addition to the regular employee contribution."

Basically the insurance my wife's job offered when we got married was crap, and mine was really good. Now since this letter came, we found out her insurance isn't so bad anymore, so I want to pull her off my coverage and let her job's insurance cover her. My insurance company says I can't make changes unless it is open enrollment. (October) This $100 surcharged didn't even exist until a few weeks ago and will go into effect April 6th, 2007.

How the hell can THEY make a change not during open enrollment if I can't? Are we screwed?

3/7/2007 10:16:07 AM

doesn't look like there is much you can do, unless you have a life event in the next few weeks.

3/7/2007 10:19:30 AM

You'll get far more from a 5 minute call to the NC DOI than you will from TWW.
http://www.ncdoi.com/

3/7/2007 10:21:19 AM

I would talk to your HR department if they are backing you into a corner over this. Sounds like if you miss the open enrollment they might be able to extort 11 months worth of this fee (and who knows if they won't raise the fee again before the next enrollment period, they did it once right?)

If you don't like the answer I would contact the NC Department of Insurance... http://www.ncdoi.com/

-- Dave

3/7/2007 10:25:19 AM

Seriously, are you people afraid of talking to folks you don't know in real life, about issues that may be "difficult".

Why would

#1) Not post enough information about your situation

and

#2) Then ask our opinion about it?

Pick up your god damned phone, and contact someone that knows what the fuck they are talking about.

3/7/2007 10:32:11 AM

Quote :

"Pick up your god damned phone, and contact someone that knows what the fuck they are talking about."

aha ahaahahaha... thank God, someone said it!

3/7/2007 10:39:56 AM

OMG YOU ARE GETTING FUCKED

3/7/2007 10:44:27 AM

Quote :

"My insurance company says I can't make changes unless it is open enrollment. (October) "

yep, unless there is a 'life event' like, you have a kid, or, get married, or divorced, or she or you dies. or something


and of course they can change shit whenever they want.

3/7/2007 11:10:42 AM

This is where your HR needs to go to bat for you.

I'm sure there are other employees in the same situation as you. If they made this change when you are unable to make changes yourself, then that's pretty shitty, but your HR should be able to address this. Talk to them.

Recently, UHC announced that they will likely drop WakeMed from it's network. If this happens, our company has allowed those of us with UHC to switch to other providers if desired. The news came to us as a letter from UHC, and employees raised hell about it, and our HR addressed it.

I'm certain other companies worth their salt will react similarly in such situations, but it will probably take some bitching from multiple people.

One important thing that will be crucial is whether your employer simply has a group plan or is actually self insured, and the insurance company simply services the claims. If it's the former, then you may be screwed. If it's the latter, your employer has the upper hand.

3/7/2007 11:37:34 AM

How can they determine if your spouse is covered under someone else's plan.

3/7/2007 2:40:42 PM

Trust me-insurance companies know this shit...I finally got her removed off my insurance after spending all day arguing.

3/7/2007 6:34:10 PM

After working in the medical field for the last 7 months and dealing with insurance companies on a daily basis, I have just one sentence of wisdom: All insurance companies are the devil and will do anything to screw you

Also, United DID drop Wake Med from their network, so if you have United Healthcare, look into how much this affects you

3/7/2007 6:37:17 PM

Yeah i am on UHC. And I live right next to Wake Med in Cary. Rex is pretty far from me

3/7/2007 7:08:42 PM

Quote :

"employees raised hell about it, and our HR addressed it. "

Agreed. There may not be an immediate resolution, but companies generally won't screw over their own employees if they intend to retain them and increase the company's value.

And um, what have OTHER people said about this? Manager, Peers, HR, etc.?

3/7/2007 7:44:03 PM