How important is Medical Care when Taking Your Next Job?
By KrauseHome
@KrauseHome (36448)
United States
June 22, 2007 8:23am CST
I know that Medical Care is a Hot topic right now, and lack of Medical Care is becoming a major issue even more. Or if you work somewhere that offers it, either it is TOO Expensive to consider having, or the Medical coverage a job has almost is as Bad as not having any Medical Coverage to begin with.
I myself am considering getting a better paying job by the end of the yr. I am a Dispatcher for a Taxi Company, and the Medical Care offered is not the Best, but it is decent compared to a lot of places out there. But over all for Dispatch Call taker positions out there, the average job out there in this area pays about $2-3 more and that is with No experience even.
So I will be in a Rock and a hard space soon when considering which will be the Best move to make. And considering I am Insulin Diabetic, trying to get a Dr. for this sometimes is a chore as well. Just when I get set up with the Medical plan I have now, I am considering getting a different job, which would probably mean different Medical coverage as well.
But what should I really be looking at? Is a better wage worth it if the Medical coverage is expensive? I also mean the deductables as well once you want to see a Dr. I know that I do not want to end up somewhere like where my husband works. His Deductable is $2,500 before his Insurance kicks in which I feel is Crazy. And they just raised the amount of what they take from his check as well to where I am not sure he is really ever going to get back the $$ he puts into this.
So if it were you, am I smart in worrying about and putting Medical Care as a number 1 thought, or should I just worry about making better $$ an hr. and possibly loose a lot of the Medical benefits I have now? Just trying to gather some thoughts and ideas for the future.
2 people like this
14 responses
@Kythe42 (1412)
• United States
22 Jun 07
Medical coverage is a big priority for me. I doubt I'll be able to stay on my father's insurance plan forever. Since I do have meds I need to take regularly, I do need to have medical coverage, because it is too expensive. I'd need a job that includes health insurance for free. It would have to be a good plan that also has a vision plan since I do wear glasses, and a dental plan is important too.
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
23 Jun 07
Finding a place that offers all of these is Great. Where I am at now, they only offer Medical and Dental if you want it. I had no Discount on my Glasses besides $15 for my visit to the Eye Doctor.
@joey_matthews (8354)
•
23 Jun 07
It's free over here.
Although some jobs come with "private" care, which I would snap up and take.
Even if I didn't prefer the place out of a list of three others because the health care system is stupid here. I mean you have to wait to see if you could be "dieing" but if your old or just seriously sick you get things straight away.
No problem with that, I just hate how others are treated with the same fairness.
~Joey
@flpoolbum (2978)
• United States
27 Jun 07
I am really fortunate in the fact that I work for a company where the employee's are in a union, in Florida, this practically unheard of! My health insurance is free along with other bennies. Our wages are very uncommon for our area so I feel truly blessed to have this job. I would be in a really bad position if I lost the job as my wife is a brittle diabetic and also has a terrible back problem and I am a manic depressive.
@poetshannon (113)
• United States
23 Jun 07
you should pay attention to your health because if you don't have your health you want be making anything!
@caribe (2465)
• United States
22 Jun 07
My advice would be to weigh it all out carefully. The good medical coverage would outweight a $2 or $3 increase in pay if their medical coverage is not as good. You also have to be sure that it covers pre-existing conditions, etc. I would favor the job with the better medical coverage because that can translate into quite a lot of money over time.
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
22 Jun 07
One of the things you need to considr is will the new insurance even take you since you are insulin diabetic. some insurance companies won't cove a preexisting condition. and if they do the condition has toe be dorment for a long period of time. All this is something to look into. These were problems for me a fw years ago. things may have changed since then but you should at least look into it.
@Withoutwings (6992)
• United States
22 Jun 07
I have been without medical insurance for so long that it's not really a big factor when I'm looking for a job. It would be nice - but it's not something I would base my job choices on. I rarely get sick anyway, so I think that the insurance is a waste o money. Now, if I were planning to have a child in the near future, then it would be different. But as I am a single woman.... I don't want to pay the extra money every month for insurance.
@GardenGerty (160610)
• United States
22 Jun 07
When it comes to a job change, if you have the luxury to pick and choose, if you have not been laid off or fired, then looking for good medical coverage is of prime importance. Another thing, at least for my husband and myself, is whether or not there is a commute, and how long a commute that is. I think with your multiple health issues that the role of insurance in your life becomes much more significant. I have not ever been placed in a situation where my insurance requires a change of Doctors, but I have had family members that were and it is a nightmare sometimes. How long have you been at your present job? Do you work full time? If you do, $2-$3 per hour would translate into $80 or $120 a week, or $320-$480 per month. There is now a healthcare savings account available, and I am not sure of all of the details, but you could surely put some part of that away if your deductible was high, so that you would have it for medical expenses. It also might be that the better paying jobs also offer better insurance, and wouldn't that be nice for you? I wish you all the luck. I find myself in that kind of a quandary as well. Not for pay, but for more hours in a year.
@Willowlady (10658)
• United States
23 Jun 07
There is a medical savings plan that you might be able to get and that would help with the deductible part. Wage must balance with benefits so I wish you much luck in this choice you will need to make. This is the best I can offer since myself and family is without medical insurance.
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
22 Jun 07
Seeing as how I'm self employed and currently have no health insurance if I were to take another job that would be one of the main factors I would consider - would actually take a lesser paying job for good health insurance.
@LightninStrike (5915)
• Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
23 Jun 07
For me healthcare is as important as the salary. Without a proper coverage, i won't accept he job. Fortunately, in Spain just by paying taxes you have access to public healthcare, which is universal and full coverage, unlike in countries like in the usa, where you have to pay like 3,000 bucks to have a decent healthcare...what a shame.
@professorxang (201)
• United States
22 Jun 07
i think if my job not give insurance i would accept job that pay less if they gave insurance. it is scarey to be without insurance and as we get older it certainly become more important. i have insurance from my job but i am lucky for that. it is hard now aday to have job give you benefits.
