Accidentally awesome badassity!

[YTProphet]

So as I detailed on here recently, I changed jobs not too long ago. It allowed me to be about 3 miles from my office (as opposed to 30) and I received a $25,000 pay raise.

However, there was one more benefit that I hadn't considered until today - free healthcare for a few months. As part of my offer, I negotiated having the employer reimburse me for my COBRA premiums until the company insurance kicked in (it has a mandatory 90 day waiting period). When looking at my paycheck, though, it occurred to me that during the 90 day waiting period, I won't have to contribute to the insurance premiums since I'm not enrolled yet AND they're paying for my COBRA. That'll net me about $500/month for 3 months plus $30 in credit card rewards from charging the COBRA premiums.

[boarder42]

500/month is what you pay after your subsidy from and employer thats insanely high it seems like.

[NathanP]

Yes, $500/month is a bit high for subsidized employer healthcare, but not unheard of. Especially if the OP has a family.

I am always disappointed with employers that don't offer generous 401k matches and cheap/free health insurance. It really is in everyone's best interest to get tax free benefits instead of simply being offered a larger pre-tax paycheck. Maybe the OP can hack the system by having a spouse work at a company with better benefits.

[YTProphet]

Yes, $500/month is a bit high for subsidized employer healthcare, but not unheard of. Especially if the OP has a family.

I am always disappointed with employers that don't offer generous 401k matches and cheap/free health insurance. It really is in everyone's best interest to get tax free benefits instead of simply being offered a larger pre-tax paycheck. Maybe the OP can hack the system by having a spouse work at a company with better benefits.

Yep, it is high but I've got kids. It seems most businesses around here (midwest) don't have great benefits packages except for gov't institutions.

[boarder42]

dang i'll consider my self lucky then ... we are around 33 for my wife 33 to add me and then 33 bucks to add any and all kids had.  so 100 bucks a month give or take total includes dental for a family of 3+

[forummm]

I've heard of $2000/month COBRA for a family plan. Health insurance is just insanely expensive because the cost of care in the US is outrageously (and unnecessarily) expensive. We pay twice as much for the identical drugs as all the other developed countries do (Germany, France, UK, etc) because of laws passed by a Congress bought by PHARMA lobbyists and campaign contributions. Non-profit hospitals are insanely profitable and many charge whatever they want. It's insanity.

[Gin1984]

COBRA for my mom's awesome plan was $545/person, so if you had a four person family on it, it was $2000/month.  COBRA for my grad student insurance for my family was only $675/family, but we are moving to a high deductible plan through my husband's employer and it is $1500/month for COBRA for our family.  Crazy that a plan for three in Ca that covered everything with no copays could cost the same as a high deductible plan in NY.

[Giro]

I work for a small company and their insurance is INSANE.  Fortunately for us, my husband is retired military so I just go to the base hospital for CHEAP.  I think for me and the kids it is $400 a YEAR.  The husband's insurance is completely free. 

One thing about small companies is that they will often work with you on the benefits.  I asked them to put my November and December salary into my 401K as an employer contribution and they are doing it.  :)  I was over the moon when they came back with a yes to that. 

[Mississippi Mudstache]

500/month is what you pay after your subsidy from and employer thats insanely high it seems like.

I just switched from a job where I paid $50/month for insurance to one where I pay $420/month for insurance. This is for a wife and two kids. And the move was a net benefit. There's lots more to compensation than health care costs.