opting out of employer health insurance (employee, paycheck, work, company)

[jwcd09]

is opting out of employer provided health insurance always an option if you are covered under another insurance plan?

for example, if you have insurance through your spouse, can you always decline health insurance from our employer so that you do not have to pay a contribution towards that plan?

thanks.

[PureHapa]

Short answer - yes.

[JTGJR]

Long answer - yes.

[myrc60]

ask your HR rep...we don't know your company's procedures.

[313Weather]

Originally Posted by PureHapa

Short answer - yes.

Originally Posted by JTGJR

Long answer - yes.

either of you care to elaborate?

[Hemlock140]

At my place of work you can, and save maybe $70 a paycheck, the employee contribution. They will not give you the equivalent in cash or any other benefit. Most people go ahead and keep both, as we do with dental, because often it saves a lot when the primary doesn't cover all of the charges and the secondary kicks in. We got rid of my wife's medical because it was $600/month employee contribution so not worth having both.

[SecretSender6000]

My co-worker does this, as she gets insurance through her husband. I think you just have to go through some additional paperwork with HR to insure you don't get placed on any default plans.

[bobtn]

I cannot fathom an employer saying one cannot, even if the law did not allow such a choice.

[azoria]

Since the Supreme court upholding of the Affordable Care Act......who knows?

Previous to last week--yes--you could opt out of employer provided benefits if you felt confident you had other family coverage. You could opt out even without other coverage, in the US employees have never been obligated to partake in employer sponsored options.

In general, opting out of anything is always an option. Who knows now......

[joe from dayton]

I don't know anything about case law regarding this issue, but you can opt out where I work.