OP: Thanks. 09:45 and 09:46, got words from HR that I can in fact get employee + child. Not sure about pricing yet but hopefully much cheaper.

Now I wonder how other families afford health insurance, esp. when one parent is working and one stay home.

09:52, yes totally agree. Still hurts though. Hopefully the employee + child is cheaper.

I asked this question awhile back, and was immediately convinced it was a terrible idea (though unfortunately): http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/204490.page#1994299

Anonymous wrote:OP: Thanks everyone. But $700 a month is so expensive for 2 people! I don't think I spent $700 last year in total in my medical bills.

That's probably right - but that's how insurance works. Some years you hugely overpay, because some other family has cancer, and they are hugely "underpaying" by comparison. But the second your child has an unexpected health issue, you'll be glad to have decent insurance, believe me.

Why do you need family? Why not just employee + child? That should be cheaper.

OP, ask the benefits people in your office if they offer an "employee +1" plan. If not, ask them to consider it for next year. Usually hundreds less than a family plan.

OP: 09:32, what is health exchanges?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
So I went online to get a quote and it's quoting me about $200 a month for 2 people. That sounds a lot more reasonable.

Was that the quote before or after you gave them your entire medical history?

+1. Odds are, you will not qualify for that rate.

Are you allowed to sign up for one of the health exchanges if you could get coverage through your employer?

OP: Thanks everyone. But $700 a month is so expensive for 2 people! I don't think I spent $700 last year in total in my medical bills.

How does Obamacare impact this? Surely there are minimum requirements for coverage. Perhaps wait until later this year and sign up through the exchanges.

Be very careful - the $200 policies when you read the fine print are a complete scam and will not ever cover a penny of your medical care. Also, they generally have not negociated discount pricing for services so you will end up paying full freight. We had a similar policy about 4 years ago when DH was unemployed and had to look for one again about 2 years ago and the terms were way worse 2 years ago. After a medical emergency at Inova and getting full price bills, DH went in to ask for financial assistance and was told he wouldn't owe a penny if we didn't have that crappy insurance. Of course now you have to have some sort of insurance under Obamacare though. READ THE FINE PRINT - you are still likely better off buying it through work.

Anonymous wrote:
So I went online to get a quote and it's quoting me about $200 a month for 2 people. That sounds a lot more reasonable.

Was that the quote before or after you gave them your entire medical history?

Anonymous wrote:$200 seems too good to be true. What is included? What is the deductible? Is there a co-pay/co-insurance?

It may not be too good to be true. I pay $300 per month for a parent and child, and it would likely be lower except for some risk factors that raised the rate on me. Fairly standard co-pay/co-insurance. I'd been paying $800/month on COBRA so thought it was too good to be true, too, but it isn't.

$200 seems too good to be true. What is included? What is the deductible? Is there a co-pay/co-insurance?

To make a long story short, I need to enroll in my company's health insurance plan.

I am a single mom with one kid. The family plan monthly premium is $700 a month! Does that seem incredibly expensive for you guys?

So I went online to get a quote and it's quoting me about $200 a month for 2 people. That sounds a lot more reasonable.

Does anyone do this? Get their own insurance instead of from your employer? My employer only offer one plan. HSA which I hate also.