Employee medical insurance vs private?

[TomTea31]

I'm just wondering if it can be less expensive to go through private medical/dental verses opting into your company health plan? My company pays a good amount of my plan but to add the kids or husband it is ridiculously expensive. I'd be working just to pay premiums and then would have no money left over for bills.

The kids are currently covered through state medical. I'm looking at alternatives for my husband and I. Adding even my spouse to my plan isn't possible as you have to pay the entire premium. My premium will be around $140/month for me after company pays a portion.

I'm sort of lost on this as the last job I held was in a school district and my medical/dental was paid for me. I only paid $75 to add the family to the dental.

[keepsmiling]

Welcome to the new era. If I could find decent health for 140/month I'd be ecstatic.
On your own will surely cost you more. But hey, go ahead and let someone quote it for you. It will probably make you very happy with what you have.
Health insurance is the number #1 reason I am on this board. Can't afford to have it or not have it.

[malf1204]

It depends. My company is more expensive than a plan through private insurance but the coverage is better. Private plans are also exempt from a lot of regulations that employer plan must cover(such as preventative care) so you may end up spending more out of pocket in the long run.

[Flamingo]

All employees covered under employer plans, even those in the health care sector working for those companies, are picking up more and more of the cost of medical expenses, paying larger deductibles, larger co-payments, etc. Anyone now getting free coverage through their employer will probably eventually see that phased out (if not already being phased out) and the employee starting to contribute to the cost.

Medical costs are astronomical. Your employer will allow you to opt out of their coverage but make sure you investigate fully any coverage your spouse's employer offers or other plans, compare costs and benefits carefully, etc. They are all different and there are now many different, confusing options available.

[TomTea31]

He works for a restuarant and there are no benefits offered. I'd like to get coverage for him but there's no way I can do that through my work. The payment is like $700 just add him. $1500 to add him and the kids. My check after tax was $1507 this month. Granted I missed a gull day of work.

[TrainWreak]

I'm self employed. Paying $319. monthly with $10,000. deductible. wife included.
Last year when I was hired full time for a major manufacturing corp mine was cheap but to add spouse was a wash on premiums, but the deductible was really low.
I opted out knowing that I wasn't staying with the job