Many Americans consider themselves lucky to have an employer that offers a health insurance plan, but Linda Stern urges employees to take a closer look at their employer’s benefits before automatically going with their insurance.  In her article “When To Skip Your Employer’s Health Plan” on Reuters.com, Stern talks about how she has skipped her employer’s insurance two years in a row and sought out individual health insurance for her and her family.    She recognizes this choice isn’t for everyone, but offers some things to look for to determine if you should stick with the employer-based health plan.

One consideration to make is to split up your family for coverage.  More employers are making employees pay out of pocket for spouses and children so keeping the family on one plan might not make sense.  You may be able to find a health insurance plan for your child at a fraction of the cost of your employer’s plan.  It’s definitely worth the time to compare health insurance quotes to see if this is the case.

Another thing to consider is if your employer’s plan meets your individual needs.  If you are planning on becoming pregnant in the near future and your employer’s plan is stingy on maternity health insurance, you may opt to go with an individual plan.  Or if your employer’s plan offers a wide array of benefits you don’t think you will use, you can see about saving money on a lower budget plan.  With more and more employers shifting health insurance costs to their employees, it’s no surprise individual health insurance is looking more appealing to many.

Written by Sam Tabes

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