military spouses...do you take the benefits?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I'm starting my first LPN med/surg job on Monday, and have been told that I can take the with benefits position, or the per diem position.....It's a difference of 2.22/hour. I'm tempted to do it for a year at least, to catch up financially.

I'm just curious what some of you have done. Of course, my family is covered under my husband's Air Force benefits, so we're okay for medical and dental already.....

Any input of pros and cons would be appreciated.

SmilingBluEyes

20,964 Posts

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I do strictly per diem work., being an Air Force family is a huge reason. I don't need medical bennies offered by most hospitals and many of them are more of headache and expense than they are worth. I build my own 401K.

However, The one thing I DO miss out on is tuition assistance. That is a biggie if you are going back to school, and something you may want to consider. Some hospitals contribute $1000s to people returning to school to advance their nursing educations, so you may wish to consider this. I like the flexibility of per diem work, however, and it meets my needs. Good luck to you!

live4today, RN

5,099 Posts

Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

When I worked for the military hospitals as a RN, I always took the bennies because I wanted to carry my own health insurance policy because it was always better than the militarys....or at least augmented what the military offered me as a spouse.

After having been married to "General Motors" for 18 plus years to husband # 1...one gets very very spoiled on the benefit coverages that one enjoyed....so....to maintain that nice package...I carried the max coverage for me so I did not have to jump through hoops to have the best medical/dental/vision/mental health/etc. care that I desired. No regrets either!

It's an entirely individual decision whether a military spouse wants to accept her own bennies, or not. Nowadays with the HMO crap...I'd opt to have my own so I could choose my own doctors in private healthcare. I enjoy being a first class citizen, and think I'm worth every penny I spend towards being one. So...when I return to work, I will continue the tradition I established for myself and carry my own health coverage, etc. That way, with or without hubby in my life....I have what health coverage I want. :nurse:

sjoe

2,099 Posts

Specializes in Corrections, Psych, Med-Surg.

There is a "government employed nursing" forum on this BB, as well.

After 5 years of military moving, it has been a LOT easier to skip the benefits. You ARE covered, albeit maybe not the way you like, but you've got the coverage you know? Besides, think of all the crappy paperwork you gotta do to get bennies started- and then all the paperwork you gotta do to cancel it if you're transferred to an area that doesn't have the same insurers as your previous job...don't do it :nono:

globalRN

446 Posts

Are you taxed on your benefits? If so, would you not be paying taxes on your own and your military benefits...like paying twice for similar coverage?

List out what the benefits are and see how different it is from what you already have through the military. Cost it out to see if it is worthwhile to you. Perhaps your institution/facility allows you to pick and choose what you want as your benefit package.

If so that would be great.

Specializes in Pediatrics.

Something else to think about. We just retired from the air force after 22 years, i have neve had any problems getting the care i needed for myself or my four children. I usually have never taken the benefits because i was always covered, however in this job i have now, because i waived my benefits and year and half ago (because I was covered) check the fine print on what you sign. It may not be so easy to get the covereage later when you need it. Even if you lose it you may have a waiting period of at least a year, if they decide that they will give it to you. This is my experience with blue cross which is what our group carries. I thought i was doing them a favor, and now it looks like it will be extremely difficult to get that med/dental coverage. Next time I won't sign off even if i am covered under my husbands.

+ Add a Comment