Benefits for travel nurse's family

Specialties Travel

Published

Specializes in Emergency Room.

I am looking into becoming a travel nurse and I have some questions for those of you who travel and have families. I plan on traveling locally during the school year and maybe other places during the summer because I have a son that is in school. I have talked to 4 companies, and so far one has given me far better offers, but the benefits concern me. I will have to pay appx $220 a week for health insurance and dental insurance for my family. The housing stipend in very generous, but the benefits would take up half of that. The hourly pay would be only a dollar more than I am getting currently, and I'm sure I would not be able to work any overtime or recieve any shift diffs. So, I guess what I am asking is....is that a normal amount to have to pay for benefits for family, or does anyone know of any other companies I should contact?

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Specializes in Peds, ER/Trauma.

$220/week is ridiculously expensive!!! I have my husband added to my medical & dental insurance, and my company only charges $60/week for this! Or, you could get your own private insurance through Blue Cross/Blue Shield for A LOT cheaper!

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

May I ask what company you used...I have spoke with Sagent, RTG, and TravelCorp, they are all pricing their insurance about the same...appx $200/wk.

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Specializes in Peds, ER/Trauma.

I travel with RN Network- PM me for more details

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I am looking into becoming a travel nurse and I have some questions for those of you who travel and have families. I plan on traveling locally during the school year and maybe other places during the summer because I have a son that is in school. I have talked to 4 companies, and so far one has given me far better offers, but the benefits concern me. I will have to pay appx $220 a week for health insurance and dental insurance for my family. The housing stipend in very generous, but the benefits would take up half of that. The hourly pay would be only a dollar more than I am getting currently, and I'm sure I would not be able to work any overtime or recieve any shift diffs. So, I guess what I am asking is....is that a normal amount to have to pay for benefits for family, or does anyone know of any other companies I should contact?

You say you are traveling locally- does this mean you will be staying in your own home? If so, you are not allowed to accept a housing stipend- per IRS regs.

Lots of agencies try to take atvantage of things that nurses new to traveling are not aware of- just to get them to sign up.

I've been traveling for three years. I managed to avoid many pitfalls of traveling by joining the http://www.delphiforums.com travel nurses and therapists group. They even have a travel tax expert member who is a former traveler, and is now a CPA.

Some agenices do have day-one insurance, at no cost to the traveler- but I don't know how good it is.

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