An employee who must decide whether to take coverage from his/her employer or from a spouse’s employer often bases his/her decision on the types of coverage available and the costs of the alternative plans. For example:
- If one employer offers managed care plans and the other offers a plan that provides more freedom of choice, the individual may prefer one above the other.
- If the employee payroll contributions for spousal coverage are high at both employers but contributions for employee-only coverage are relatively low, both the employee and the spouse may want to enroll for employee-only coverage at their respective employers.
Another issue to consider is whether your employer’s plan includes a working dependent provision. This provision states that if your spouse is eligible for coverage through his/her employer, your spouse is required to take that employer’s coverage or pay a surcharge to be covered under your plan.
