Should I get private insurance?

Dear Nurse Beth Advice Column - The following letter submitted anonymously in search for answers. Join the conversation!

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Hello Nurse Beth!

I'm a new grad doing research before I start applying to jobs, but I wanted to know something before I do. My questions are about insurance, health insurance and liability/malpractice insurance. Question 1 is, will it be better or less costly to get private health and ? If I have to pay a little more to get the best, I don't mind paying more for piece of mind and quality. I guess I just want to know if private health and are significantly more expensive or in some cases can they be cheaper ?

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Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development.

Dear New Grad,

Congrats on graduating and starting your career!

It's very smart of you to be thinking about medical insurance as part of your entire compensation package. Often new grads will only look as far as the hourly rate, but benefits are highly important.

Organizations vary greatly on the insurance they provide to employees. I've seen a large organization that covers employees and families with premiums 100% paid by the organization, and others that provide good insurance but the employee pays upwards of 300.00$ per month for premiums plus co-pays and deductibles.

Some organizations give their employees a choice of PPOs (more expensive, can pick your own providers) and HMOs (less expensive, must see network providers).

Vision and dental may be included, or may be an extra plan/charges.

Here's the bottom line- It will be far more expensive to get your own insurance. Expensive meaning almost unaffordable.

Many colleagues of mine work for the insurance coverage for their families more than for the salary. For example, if the spouse is self-employed, the nurse partner provides all the insurance coverage for the spouse and children.

As far as , get your own. It is not very expensive. NSO insurance (just Google it) is a company many nurses use, and you can get a quote depending on where you live and some other factors. One hundred-ish dollars per year is about what I've always paid.

Good luck to you in your job search ?

Nurse Beth

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