Re: Federal Clerkship health insurance coverage Forum

[Anonymous User]

What plans do clerks usually pick? I want the least amount of money taken out of my pay check but also do not want to be reckless lol. So for those of you who have experience with this sort of thing, did you elect the premimum coverage? did you opt out?

Thanks in advance!!

[Anonymous User]

Great thread idea. I am also interested in this.

I start in late August but have not received any information yet. When are we supposed to sign up, and when do we receive coverage? Is the coverage good?

[lolwat]

I got my stuff like the first day I came to work... they gave me the info and told me to talk to the HR girl if I had questions but otherwise to fill it out and get it in within X days/weeks or something. You have two chances to enroll in health insurance, when you first join and then later during some other open enrollment period.

I don't remember why now, but I ended up with Blue Cross Blue Shield and also BCBS's FEP BlueVision or whatever because I wear contacts and the money saved > the cost of BlueVision. There's also a dentist thing that I didn't get. I honestly didn't pay too much attention, but wanted to more or less make sure I was covered in case stuff happened.

[A. Nony Mouse]

There's some ridiculous number of plans you can choose from, though it varies according to where you're working. (There are also national ones, like BlueCross.) What you pick really depends on your personal needs - do you have a family you're going to be covering? Do you have any chronic health conditions? Would you rather have less pay taken out each paycheck but have a high deductible so you're paying a lot if you actually need medical care, or pay more each month for a low/no deductible plan? Do you already live in that location and have a doctor you want to keep being able to see? Etc. etc. For instance, I take 3 prescription drugs daily, so for me, low co-pay for prescriptions was probably my biggest concern. But for someone else, paying less for a plan where Rx are more expensive might make more sense.

When you get info: I started the 3rd week of August last year, and got paperwork from HR about 1 month before that. I think I had to ask for specifics about the health plan stuff, though - you do turn it in when you start. I can't remember exactly when coverage kicks in - I think it's after you've completed one pay period? So about 2-3 weeks in, depending whether you start at the beginning of a pay period or in the middle?

[Anonymous User]

Assuming you're relatively healthy, no dependents, and don't plan on seeing a ton of doctors or filling a bunch of name-brand prescriptions, you should pick a HDHP+HSA. This is also a backdoor retirement vehicle.

[SisyphusHappy]

Assuming you're relatively healthy, no dependents, and don't plan on seeing a ton of doctors or filling a bunch of name-brand prescriptions, you should pick a HDHP+HSA. This is also a backdoor retirement vehicle.

Great use of anon.

[Anonymous User]

Assuming you're relatively healthy, no dependents, and don't plan on seeing a ton of doctors or filling a bunch of name-brand prescriptions, you should pick a HDHP+HSA. This is also a backdoor retirement vehicle.

Great use of anon.

I am a current clerk whose court's rules prevent any public posting on social media identifying me as a clerk. So, yeah.

[forza]

I am a current clerk whose court's rules prevent any public posting on social media identifying me as a clerk. So, yeah.

That's a wicked rule.