vB Easy Archive - Open Enrollment ugh!

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Open Enrollment ugh!
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Posted by: Freakshow105

Well it is that time for us Direct Employees for open enrollment!! Well I am confused and no one has the answer for me.

I am pissed because my wife works for a company that just announced bankrupcy, and because of it, her benefits package they are offering sucks. We just found out if we want to have a kid (which we are trying to do) it will go from 100% covered to $3,000!!! So I decided to see what the new Cingular insurance plan offers.

Well, because my wife works for a company full time that OFFERS insurance, I will have to pay a $100 per paycheck fee on top of having her enrolled in my benefits just because of that!! If her work would offer her part time or if she worked for a mom and pop business not offering insurance, then I do not have to pay $100 a paycheck to have her on my benefits. This is the first company I have seen do this.

So, our market just voted for the union. I remember reading in the CWA agreement that it is a different health plan. This is my question, 1. can i take that plan? and 2. is that $100 fee there? And 3. with the CWA Union, does every rep have to take the CWA health plan or do we have that as an option in addition to the other plans.

Thanks!

Posted by: nskgti23

Why should Cingular pay for her insurance, when her company will provide her with insurance under their system? I hate to say it, but as a Cingular employee, I don't want to pay for your wife's insurance if her company will. That means higher premiums for me.

Also, having a child is expensive... If you can't handle $3000 for the birth of a child, then start considering waiting a few years until you can afford that. $3000 just starts to scratch the surface of the cost of a child.

Posted by: ivwshane

It's very common to have your spouse covered by insurance so what the op is asking is not unrealistic.

And if you can't pay for slightly higher premiums then I suggest you find another place of employment that doesn't offer insurance so you don't have to be bothered with it.

Posted by: Freakshow105

ok guys last thing I was asking for was to be flamed...was looking to know if anyone who was in a union market knew how it worked.

Also i am glad cingular offers insurance, and I am glad we can put our family members on it. I was just trying to explain my situation to know if anyone had any idea thats all...

And in response, I have no problem helping your wife get insurance, i am not a greedy mofo.

Posted by: Freakshow105

Quote:

Originally Posted by nskgti23

Why should Cingular pay for her insurance, when her company will provide her with insurance under their system? I hate to say it, but as a Cingular employee, I don't want to pay for your wife's insurance if her company will. That means higher premiums for me.

Also, having a child is expensive... If you can't handle $3000 for the birth of a child, then start considering waiting a few years until you can afford that. $3000 just starts to scratch the surface of the cost of a child.

And about the baby thing...when her insurance and my insurance was covering it 100% and now hers is not and the fact that cingulars will but because she worked for a company that offers some insurace then it is 3k...

I would rather work and help another cingular employee's wife get coverage than these welfare crackwhores that have no intention of ever getting a job and just have more imbred kids so there welfare check increses

Posted by: magiteck

Check with your HR rep... but I believe that if your wife enrolls in HER plan, AND you enroll her in your plan, then you don't have to pay the $100 fee. The Cingular plan would only cover applicable expenses not covered by her own plan. So if she exceeded the $3,000 limit on her own plan, the Cingular plan would kick in. This would be a good option for you given the circumstances. Its called I believe "coordination of benefits".

Posted by: Freakshow105

Quote:

Originally Posted by magiteck

Check with your HR rep... but I believe that if your wife enrolls in HER plan, AND you enroll her in your plan, then you don't have to pay the $100 fee. The Cingular plan would only cover applicable expenses not covered by her own plan. So if she exceeded the $3,000 limit on her own plan, the Cingular plan would kick in. This would be a good option for you given the circumstances. Its called I believe "coordination of benefits".

lol HR said to call Fidelity and Fidelity basically said that it was one or the other...lol i will have to call back with the term you used.

thanks

Posted by: ChocoDough

Well in PA, my health insurance is through US Healthcare I beleive. We have a choice of 2, and I pay $15 a month, and that includes vision an dental.

I know some co-workers that have their spouse and kids on their plan and pay like $50 a month.

If I had to pick something that I liked about the CWA, it would be really cheaply priced health insurance. But that would be the ONLY good thing I could say. Everything else about the union is purely negative.

My sympathies that your state voted in the union.

Posted by: magiteck

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrDJ

lol HR said to call Fidelity and Fidelity basically said that it was one or the other...lol i will have to call back with the term you used.

thanks

I sent you a PM with information I was able to obtain. Based on all the literature available to us:

1) You can definately enroll her in both her own health plan, AND the Cingular health plan.

2) If you enroll her in both health plans, you do NOT have to pay the Spouse/RDP Surcharge.

Enroll her in your Cingular plan with confidence. Just make sure she also is enrolled in her own!

Posted by: Freakshow105

Well it looks like my problem fixed itself. We will have the insurance I signed up for at the $180 a paycheck but then come Jan 15 we become "Union" employees and the new Union Health plan takes place 2/1/06 for us and the $100 fee does not apply and I only will have to pay $30 a paycheck for me and my wife