Time From Starting A New Job Till Getting Health Benefits

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I was just wondering what in your experience has been the case.

Most of the jobs I’ve had since I started working offered, health insurance after 90 days of employment. More specificially the first of the month AFTER 90 days of employment.

So if you started work on Feb 21st, you’d be able to get benefits on June 1st.

I had two jobs that made you wait four months, and two jobs that required six months before you could get health insurance.

The least amount of time was two months. That was one job.

So in your past experience, what has been the usual time between getting a job and getting health benefits?

2

Usually I’ve gotten coverage from the date of hire. Once it was a 90 day wait. In the policies I sell, 90 days is the most common wait period business owners select.

3

Typically, first of the month following 90 days on the job.
(IANAwhatever, personal experience)

4

I started a new job last week. My insurance kicks in in 30 days. IIRC, my last job had it at 30 days, as well.

5

Most jobs, it kicked in after 90 days. My current job, however, it started on the first day of the ninth month of consecutive full-time work.

6

My current employer has it start the day of hire. I can’t remember how past employers had it.

7

With my current employer, it’s 30 days. Government job.

8

I have never had a job where benefits didn’t start on day 1. Apparently, that’s unusual?

9

Zero days, 100% of the time. Too bad you guys are refusing to socialize healthcare - it kicks ass. :slight_smile:

10

Recently, usually the month of hire. However, one insurance company has “registration periods” twice a year when you can join. If you miss one period, you have to wait 6 months to the next one.

11

After 90 days probationary period is what I’m most accustomed to. I’ve seen 6 months before, too, as well as the first of the month following hire.

12

Is there a particular reason companies make people wait a short time for health benefits to kick in? I always assumed it was because most companies have some low level jobs with high turnover and they don’t want the paperwork hassles of enrolling a lot of low level works who will quit soon and then have to go through the additional work of sending them all the COBRA information.

My current job was the first day of the month following my date of employment. I started in the middle of October and had the coverage on November 1.

13

Was hired 4 years ago. Still waiting. :frowning:

14

For my last three jobs, the insurance started my first day on the job.

StG

15

Yeah, can someone explain the reason for this?

I’ve witnessed it first hand in a job sector that is most assuredly not high turnover (state government) - and I’m wondering why they do it. It’s a royal pain in the ass and I can’t understand why

16

Well, yeah, but I was thinking dental and eyes. Those have always kicked in at 90 days for me.

The weird thing about having socialized medicine is when your insurance policy kicks in, everyone talks about the awesome coverage of massages. I think Americans go ‘Woohoo! If my kid breaks his leg we don’t go bankrupt!’

17

A lot of companies have high turn overs. Some companies also have tiers. Like the hotel company I worked for in the 90s, gave managers benefits from day one, but punched employess had to wait four months.

In my experience, if a company has a probation period like 90 days, the benefits usually align themselves with the probation period.

It save the company a bit of cash too by not having to fork over for a few months. And most people aren’t likely to turn down a job if they have to wait 90 days or so.

18

And I can’t imagine how anyone gets insurance starting day 1. I’m usually just filling out the forms on day 1, assuming that I already know which plan I want (and not everyone does) . By the time the employer gets the forms to the insurance company and the policy is set up and cards sent , it’s got to be a couple of weeks. I suppose it could work with the plans I had if I used non-participating providers and sought reimbursement until I got the card , but that’s the only way.

19

Anywhere from the date of hire to six months after hire. Depends on how stingy the employer was.

I can’t even remember with my current position. I think either the coverage started immediately or at least within 30 days. My coverage from my old employer carried on for 30 days and I think there may have been a bit of overlap for a minute or two there, but I had no health issues at the time, so it was a moot point.

20

I’m in the white-collar IT field, and most of my jobs have had coverage starting on day 1. My current job and the one before it had coverage starting the first day of the following month (a 2-day wait in my current case, and a 2-week wait with the previous job).

Once you’re in the health care provider’s system – which usually only takes a few days – many doctors will accept your plan information (group number, etc.) in lieu of an ID card. Worst case, yes, you have to get reimbursed, but that’s still better than being completely out-of-pocket.

Maybe I’ve just been lucky, but I have never needed medical treatment before my ID cards arrived. With my current job, btw, my ID cards arrived in the mail during my second week of employment; not a long wait at all.