Delete Spouse from Medical

JM in ATL

Looking for suggestions or "creative" solutions to this problem.

We have an ee who has her husband on our medical insurance. She has been separated from him for almost a year. However, she has not done this legally.

The company pays for all medical benefits for employees and their families. So this guy is on our medical insurance and we are paying almost $300 more a month to carry him when they aren't even together.

I have asked the employee several times the status of the situation and it has always been that she doesn't have enough money to file for divorce, or pay for it or whatever. I beleive her on that part b/c none of the father's of the children pay towards child support, but I don't think that we should have to keep paying the high premiums for this guy either.

Any creative solutions on how we can drop him from our insurance?

POPEYE

Front her the cash to get the divorce. (You asked for creative solutions!!!)

Seriously, depending on your plan description, unless you have a qualifying event such as the husband getting his own, a legal divorce.... the
only viable thing I could see would be for her to drop him during your open enrollment period and she would have to make that decision, not you as long as they are still legally married.

HRinNH

>the only viable thing I could see would be for >her to drop him during your open enrollment >period and she would have to make that >decision, not you as long as they are still >legally married.

How does that work? I thought the spouse had to stay as long as they were legally married and he didn't have insurance elsewhere.

I'm interested because we have this same scenario in our plant.

Cheryl C.

juju

As long as they are not legally separated (if there is such a thing in your state - there isn't here in PA) I think you are stuck unless she decides to drop him at open enrollment. Technically they are still married. She has not had a qualifying change in family status.

amwkim

Unfortunately, there isn't anything you can do. Do you ask other employees the status of their marriages in hopes to cut costs? My suggestion would be to refer your employee to your EAP program. Sounds like she needs some support, not pressure to help the company cut costs. I think you are being insensitive to your employee who is going through a difficult situation.

My $.02 worth! x0:)

Don D

The man is covered as a spouse on the policy as long as he is the legal spouse and your policy conditions cover spouses, free. You're stuck with the pay. Perhaps they reconcile tomorrow and the cost remains the same for the company. Would your feelings change.

The most creative thing I've seen done was with my last employer. Almost overnight, they went from total family covered at no cost to the ee - to almost $600 dollars per month for a spouse and one or more dependants (a $7000 pay cut). That was so creative that I found another job. More to the point; it won't be long before your finance people convince executive management that this free insurance ride for family members must end.