Can an employer wait 6 months to 1 year before the employee is eligible for health ins. benefits?

Answer 1

Absolutely. This is usually a period called probation. This is typically explained, up front, to a new employee. You should have had an orientation or at least been given an employee handbook - which is your responsibility to read.

Answer 2

Yes. In fact, you are lucky the employer is even offering coverage at all. Many, many small businesses today don't over any coverage or are dropping coverage they were providing because the cost is too high.

An employer has the ability to not offer any coverage or even only for employees with certain seniority.

If you are employed and can afford premiums anyway, you may want to look into something called "temporary" or "short-term" health insurance. It is very easy to buy and has very low premiums beause the coverage length is limited to 180 days or less.

You could buy one of those policies for up to 6 months. Or, if you need to, you could string together plans from two different companies and stretch your coverage out to one year, if need be.
At least it would cover you until you are eligible for your employer's group health plan.

You can even buy online one of these policies online with a credit card and be covered almost immediately.

A very good short term plan is sold by Assurant Group. They have lots of options and have good rates.

Answer 3

Yes. If you're looking in the policy or certificate (benefit booklet) you'll see it referred to as the Waiting Period. The employer can choose the length for each "class of employees". For example, in some companies the management will have one level of benefits, waiting period and employer contribution level; and the rest of us get another level.

However, if you're a key employee or are bringing in a lot of experience (in other words, they are lucky to have you) you can request that they waive that waiting period. It's a simple as them writing the insurance company to let them know that they give permission for you to come on with no waiting period or a reduced one.

A few other things to consider: HIPAA only allows a 63 day lapse so without the continued coverage you could have problems down the line. So, if you can't get them to waive it, if you had coverage with your prior employer, and its not too late, you might want to sign up for COBRA coverage until the new coverage kicks in. This will help to eliminate any issues with pre-existing conditions later down the line. Also make sure that you get a certificate of credible coverage from your prior carrier to give to the new carrier when you become eligible and enroll for the new coverage.

Answer 4

When an employer sets up his group plan, they also state what the probation (waiting) period is for new hires. If they set up a 6 month waiting period, new FT employees have to wait 6 months before they can get on the group health plan. I see anything from 1 to 12 month probation periods on group business.

Answer 5

Yes. 90 days is the most common, but they can do longer. It also can depend on when open enrollment is at the company or with the plan.

Answer 6

There is no law stating that an employer even has to offer benefits. They can offer what they want, when they want.

Answer 7

yes and they do all the time. i think the main reason is that it is expensive for them to set up and pay for the benfits and they want to make sure that the worker is going to stay on and not quit after 3 weeks.

Answer 8

as far as I know, here in NJ it's up to 90 days,
what they call the employees probation period.( for a full time job)

Answer 9

Yes.

Answer 10

yes if you came in after open season has closed you would need to wait until open season comes around again