Every dual income family lives with this insurance penalty. I'd much rather have the money, thanks.
My wife's employer does just that; because she elects not to take medical insurance (because mine is better and less expensive), she gets an extra $700/paycheck in lieu of medical insurance - 90% of the employer contribution to medical insurance. I wouldn't say this perk is common, but it is definitely appreciated and makes you realize how expensive the total (employer+employee) cost of medical insurance can be even by "larger" employer standards.
I had a previous employer (2013-2014 ish) who did something similar, but bad. If you accepted their insurance, they would add a very stiff surcharge to your premium if your spouse was employed by a company who also offered insurance. So if I was on my company's insurance, but my husband's company offered crappy insurance, I'd have to pay something like an additional $150/mo on my premiums (whether or not he was actually on my insurance).
That is bizarre, I've never heard of something like that. How would they enforce something like that? You would need to report to your employer your spouses health insurance availability? What if they gained/lost insurance availability mid-stream?
There is a $200/month surcharge for spouses on my insurance if the spouse chooses not to enroll in healthcare offered at their job. See below:
"Spouse surcharge (medical plans only)
A Spouse Medical Plan Surcharge Affidavit is required
every year. Regardless of the medical plan you select,
if you enroll your spouse in your 2017 medical plan,
your premium cost could be higher. The spouse
surcharge does not apply to dental or vision coverage.
The spouse surcharge will apply if:
1. Your spouse’s employer offers a medical plan and
your spouse did not enroll in that plan; and
2. You cover your spouse in your employer PPO
medical plan or HDP; then
3. A $200 per month spouse surcharge will apply
to the cost of covering your spouse on your
employer medical plan (deducted from payroll).
4. The surcharge will also apply if you fail to turn
in the required Spouse Medical Plan Surcharge
Affidavit or if you were late turning it in.
For purposes of the spouse surcharge, the spouse’s
employer plan must be an affordable medical plan
with minimum essential coverage (MEC) as defined by
the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
The spouse surcharge will not apply if:
1. Your spouse is enrolled in both his/her employer
medical plan (proof of enrollment required) and
your PPO plan or HDP; or
2. Your spouse does not work outside the home and
has no access to employer coverage; or
3. Your spouse’s employer does not offer medical
coverage or your spouse is not eligible for that
coverage; or
4. Your spouse’s other coverage is Medicare,
Medicaid, TRICARE or care received at a VA
facility; and
5. You turned in the required Spouse Medical Plan
Surcharge Affidavit on time.
Required time-sensitive enrollment action
During annual enrollment, any employee who covers
his/her spouse must sign a Spouse Medical Plan
Surcharge Affidavit attesting to the spouse’s access
to employer medical plan coverage through his/
her employer, regardless if he/she enrolled in that
coverage. Your employer may allow you to sign the
Affidavit online when you enroll in coverage. Other
employers require a paper form. More information
and a copy of the form will be in the Annual
Enrollment Packet."
Topic: What comes after the ACA? (Read 2054599 times)