# Need some advice regarding purchasing health insurance **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 25, 2016, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-advice-regarding-purchasing-health-insurance/763936 "2016-08-25T18:19:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-advice-regarding-purchasing-health-insurance/763936/1 "2016-08-25T18:19:16Z")
I just graduated college in May, and while I was in school, I was covered under my state’s medical assistance. However, I just started grad school and took on a part time job at $20/hr for 19 hours a week. I just got off the phone with the medical assistance people and was told my income is now $153 a month above the maximum. I really, really like my current MCO’s benefits, so I’m trying to figure out what I can do. My options are: [ol] [li]Call my new boss and ask for my rate to be decreased to $17.96 an hour. I’m a contract employee and the contract has been signed, so I don’t know if it can be amended or even if such a question would go over well. It’s also possible I could be devaluing myself in future salary negotiations.[/li][li]Enroll in one of the qualifying plans suggested by the medical assistance people. The benefits aren’t nearly as good as my current MCO’s, and the co-pays and deductibles are higher, but premium would be mostly free due to a tax credit the state would give me. I could also potentially lose my current primary care doctor, who is fantastic.[/li][li]Enroll in my grad school’s plan. This is the worst option as it would cost me $1,772 per semester and the benefits are terrible.[/li][/ol] Any suggestions on how to proceed? I am not asking for legal advice; merely opinions on what you would do. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-advice-regarding-purchasing-health-insurance/763936/2 "2016-08-25T18:22:36Z")
What state are you in? It varies. That seems like a ridiculously low income limit - $19k a year? When I switched the family from corporate to exchange insurance earlier this year, the income limits and subsidy seemed absurdly high. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-advice-regarding-purchasing-health-insurance/763936/3 "2016-08-25T18:28:03Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > What state are you in? It varies. > > That seems like a ridiculously low income limit - $19k a year? When I switched the family from corporate to exchange insurance earlier this year, the income limits and subsidy seemed absurdly high. Maryland. Actually, the maximum income is $16,394 per year. And yes, it’s ridiculously low.