I’m currently covered under my dad’s health insurance, though we don’t have any relationship; he just keeps me on the plan. I also have insurance through my job since it’s mandatory for full-time employees.
My partner just started a temp-to-hire position that doesn’t include health benefits until he’s permanent (about six months in). We’re considering getting married soon to add him to my work insurance in case of emergencies. I’d like to stay on my dad’s plan, which covers my health needs better than my employer’s plan does. But will adding my partner to my employer plan make it so I can’t stay on my dad’s policy? I’m wondering if the insurance companies communicate with each other.
For reference, I have Anthem through my dad and Kaiser through work. We already want to get married, but I was planning to wait until I finish school. With his current job situation, though, peace of mind on health insurance might be worth it.
Just to clarify, who’s paying for the premium on your dad’s plan? Paying for double coverage might not make sense if you’re already covered through work, especially since you won’t get reimbursed beyond your out-of-pocket max.
I haven’t checked Kaiser’s plans recently, but they’ve historically been pretty strict on covering only their network providers.
It’s a tricky situation. Most people don’t know much about insurance until they have to use it, and it rarely works as expected.
@Haru
My dad covers the premium through his work plan, and I’m pretty sure that’s my primary insurance. I’m the one who racks up medical expenses, so we hit the out-of-pocket max each year.
As for Kaiser, I don’t use it at all because my doctor isn’t in their network, and they don’t cover anything outside their hospitals. It’s basically there because I’m required to have insurance through my job, and it’s the cheapest option.
If you know of a good resource to learn about health insurance, I’d love to check it out. I need to understand this stuff before I’m on my own plan.
@Zander
I don’t know of any quick guides, but it does sound like a project that would help a lot of people. Maybe a retired insurance professional could take that on.
Nope, adding your partner to your work insurance won’t kick you off your dad’s plan. The only reasons you’d be removed are open enrollment, special enrollment periods, or when you turn 26.
You could also check if your job covers domestic partners – that would let you add him without getting married just yet.
@Zan
Good to know! We thought about a domestic partnership because my work does cover that, but since we’re planning to elope next year, we figured we’d just go ahead with it.
There’s a lot going on here. Just to check, how old are you? You can stay on a parent’s plan until 26, even if you’re married. Since your employer plan is usually primary, your dad’s plan would be secondary. This can complicate things, especially if you have a high deductible. Sometimes, the insurance companies end up delaying coverage while they work out who pays what.
If you have both plans, you’d need to coordinate benefits, where your work plan would be primary and your dad’s secondary. You can’t add your partner to your dad’s plan, though.
Also, since Kaiser is a closed HMO, most of their providers only bill Kaiser insurance. Something to keep in mind if you need services outside their network.