Medical Insurance Question

[AppealToHeaven]

In the swab info packet sent out by the CG (available online), it recommends that parents keep their DS/DD on their family insurance plans through the first two years of the Academy. I am wondering if this was written pre-Affordable Care Act as now it is easy, as far as I understand it, to add a family member back onto an insurance plan. I understand keeping them on through swab summer, but once the school year starts it doesn't sound logical to continue to pay for this coverage. Am I missing something?

 

[LongAgoPlebe]

It's easier to add your DS/DD back onto your plan if they separate for some reason, but there could be a gap between them no longer being covered by Tricare, and re-enrolling on your plan. If you keep them on your plan, they're covered continuously.

 

[AppealToHeaven]

It's easier to add your DS/DD back onto your plan if they separate for some reason, but there could be a gap between them no longer being covered by Tricare, and re-enrolling on your plan. If you keep them on your plan, they're covered continuously.

Not so sure that's the case anymore with the new AHC law - you can get them back on a policy fairly quickly as far as I understand.

 

[LineInTheSand]

Not so sure that's the case anymore with the new AHC law - you can get them back on a policy fairly quickly as far as I understand.

If you understand ANYTHING about ACA or Obamacare, then you are smarter than 99% of the companies and advisors out there....

Just make sure the "as I understand" isn't based off of what you've heard from a potium in Washington, D.C.

 

[AppealToHeaven]

If you understand ANYTHING about ACA or Obamacare, then you are smarter than 99% of the companies and advisors out there....

Just make sure the "as I understand" isn't based off of what you've heard from a potium in Washington, D.C.

I understand. We are one of the ones who lost health coverage and had to move to one of these new plans. Not trying to make a political statement here, but Blue Cross tells us they can easily be put back on, so worst case scenario, even if there was a week or two of overlap before coverage kicked in, you're still saving hundreds of dollars by not carrying double insurance. I'm really just trying to figure out if this is old wording on the Coast Guard's part. I looked back into previous handbooks prior to ACA and found the same wording.

 

[adad]

I'd bet my dinner that the wording is carried over from pre-ACA days. Your DS/DD will not/can not use your insurance while at the Academy. The reason to keep him/her on your plan is if a separation from the Academy occurs you don't want a gap in coverage. With ACA, if it is easy to add him/her back on, and removing him/her now from plan will save you $$, then I don't see why not to. Make sure you understand your plan.

Also, separations both voluntary and involuntary occur throughout their time at the Academy- swab summer up through 1/C year. In many ways, making it through swab summer is the easiest part. It's my understanding that a separation rate of 25-33% is not abnormal.