Comments on: does my employer who recieves a group rate for health insurance have to offer it to me?

By: Jamie B

Jamie B — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:13:59 +0000

Health insurance is not a given right as an employee. It is a benefit and an employer is not required to offer it to you as an employee. The "group" plan they have may not have anything to do with the business and you can't assume that they should be offering to employees. Health insurance, group or individual is expensive, many small business simply can not afford to offer this to employees. If you want to ask about their insurance, go ahead but you shouldn't assume that have to nor should you expect for them to offer it to you.
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By: John m

John m — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:55:59 +0000

By law, if your employer has a group health rate plan in effect, they must offer it to all full time employees. They do not have to fully fund it for you. You can apply and receive a group rate, which would be the best rate possible. Just ask them what policy they have and how much would you have to pay for it.
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By: mbrcatz17

mbrcatz17 — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:36:59 +0000

Depends on how the employees are classed. If they offer it to all salaried employees, but not hourly employees, that’s fine. Or they can offer it to all executive officers, or all board members, and that’s fine, without offering it to non executives or non board members. It’s very, very easy to divide employees into different classes – one you want to insure, and one you don’t.

Obviously, you can’t offer to some salaried without offering it to all, UNLESS you ALSO have a class of "board members" or such. The health insurance company is going to require a total list of employees, and a class of employee, to be sure that the employer is insuring (usually at least 75%) of the class they offer benefits to.

The OBVIOUS answer here, is to tell your boss, health insurance is an issue, and tell them you need group health insurance. And if he turns you down on it, then start shopping around for another job, where you WOULD have health benefits.
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agent, 21+ years

By: BettyBoopGirl

BettyBoopGirl — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:47:59 +0000

well ask them what’s the deal? whether they have health insurance for the rest of the co-workers?
apparently they might have taken their own as a family.
and you will have to sign up for your own individual one?
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By: BD in NM

BD in NM — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:33:59 +0000

Health insurance is a benefit that an employer can offer to an employee. The employer is not required by any law to offer the benefit to any employee. Some insurance companies require a certain percentage of employees participate in the plan to be eligible for a group policy. The definitions are in the details of the policy.
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By: Brian G

Brian G — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:27:59 +0000

Most group health plans require that the insurance be offered to any and all employees that are eligible for it. They can't withhold the insurance from you just because they don't like you if you are otherwise eligible for the plan. Without knowing who is eligible for their plan, it is impossible to say if they are playing by the rules. Also, how much they pay for the employees is strictly up to the company.
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