Benefits vs no benefits. I have a ? for ya.

catlady, BSN, RN · Jun 5, 2002

Maybe you ought to think about switching coverage from your husband's employer's plan to yours.

When you go for a CBC, you're not an employee, you're a consumer of services. I don't know any hospital that gives nurses a discount on services, although it's a nice idea.

Some facilities will offer a "no-frills" package, where you get a slightly higher hourly rate in exchange for not accepting benefits. You could ask about it.

biscuit_007 · Jun 5, 2002

A place where i used to work did offer a discount of sorts to its employees. When you needed service at the hospital and you insurance paid 80 percent, if you had insurance through the hospital, they would forgive the other 20 percent. After you paid the deductable.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Jun 5, 2002

my husbands insurance is provided without cost as terms of his retirement package. i am on his which we pay for. i also have medicare.

he recently had a blood test done that cost $212.

insurance paid $76 and our total cost was $6. that is a bargain indeed.

i really feel for people who can't get insurance. when i worked my insurance was free and the dental cost like $17 a month. so back then we really had a bargain. could yours work to your advantage doing it that way?

-jt · Jun 5, 2002

The nurses at my hospital negotiated free 80/20 health benefits for full timers - we do not pay for the plan. Part timers have free 70/30 benefits with the option to pay the difference for 80/20 if they choose to upgrade to the full time benefit. The philosophy of our RN union is that healthcare is a universal human right and healthcare providers should not have to pay for it. This is a non-negotiable issue for us and where employers have tried to flex their muscle to make it negotiable, we have gone on strike for it & won. We will not pay for our health benefits. The healthcare employers do. If we use the services at our hospital, we receive an "employee discount" in that the 20% we would have been responsible for is waived & the procedures, admissions, etc are covered 100%.

LasVegasRN · Jun 5, 2002

Yep, mine does. Pays add'l $20 per pay period for not using their health benefits. Also pays the same if you are a non-smoker.

SHELLYBELLYRN · Jun 5, 2002

YUP---I worked for a physicians' corporation........got $600 at the end of the year in a lump sum for not using the benefits

RNforLongTime · Jun 6, 2002

They don't pay any different at my hospital whether you use their health insurance or not. The hospital does offer discounts to employees. I had a battery of blood work and testing done last August. I paid nothing for the blood work. Paid 20 bucks for the tests--fees for the radiologists for reading the tests. I had an echo doppler last year. Cost close to 1000 bucks. I ended up paying like almost 700 bucks out of my pocket cause test was not done at my hospital.

capgirl · Jun 7, 2002

I know quite a few places around here offer pay in leiu of benefits, usually about 5 dollars an hour.

At my hospital, they do give us a break, any balance due after insurance payment is billed to employees at 50%.

Teshiee · Jun 9, 2002

Hospitals are a business just like anything else. The bottom line is that ole mighty dollar. I work and buy my own insurance. My employers insurance suck why should I pay for something I do not like. In the long run I am saving money. Even my retirement is on my own.

-jt · Jun 10, 2002

I dont think you should have to pay for it at all. It should be adequate & it should come with the job.

ruffhouser · Jun 11, 2002

The facility I work for offers "no benefit" positions in which the employee receives 25% more in salary in lieu of benefits.