If I am currently uninsured (working part time without benefits and did not secure ACA health insurance during open enrollment) and I need to have surgery before open enrollment next year, can I quit my part time job to join another with benefits to gain health insurance? Do I need to wait til 2023?

Hi everyone, I’m hoping that I can get some advice on which insurance plan I should pick for our family, since it is currently open enrollment for my company. My husband and I are on my insurance through my job, and we will also be having a baby in November. My husband has also been going through some health issues and is on multiple medications, sees specialists, etc. I myself am pretty healthy, but obviously giving birth will be a large medical event.

Here are the plans available to us, with premium prices listed for the three of us as a family once the baby gets here. Given that we will likely have large health expenses for this next year, we’re not so much concerned about copays as about our deductibles and out-of-pocket maximum.

I’ve also already paid my obstetrician an obstetrical deposit of about $1300. I’ll admit that I don’t quite understand this, but it seems to be extremely common practice for OB billing. They have told me this: “This deposit will cover any amounts that your insurance company deems to be your responsibility. This may include any deductible that Is not met when services are filed to your insurance, copays/coinsurance amounts, or non covered items under your insurance plan.” That calculation of $1300 was based on my current insurance, which is very similar to option 3 below.

Option 1:

HDHP, family premium is entirely covered by my company, and my company pays $2400/year into an HSA. In-network $3k/6k deductible, in-network $6k/$12k out of pocket max, 80% coinsurance (what the insurance covers)

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Option 2:

POS, $111 per pay period for family premium, in-network $2k/4k deductible, in-network $4k/8k out of pocket max, 80% coinsurance (what the insurance covers)

Option 3,

POS, $134 per pay period for family premium, in-network $1k/$3k deductible, in-network $3k/6k out of pocket max, 80% coinsurance (what the insurance covers)

Option 4:

POS, $191 per pay period for family premium, NO DEDUCTIBLE, $3k/$6k out of pocket max, 70% coinsurance (what the insurance covers)

Anyone able to offer advice about which plan makes the most financial sense, especially given the obstetrical deposit?

EDIT: Also want to add that we are extremely cost conscious right now… My husband hasn’t been able to work recently due to his health issues, so we are living on my $55k/year income only right now, with a small amount of monetary support from parents. Hopefully this will change very soon and he will be able to work again. I’m also going to be getting maternity leave at 100% pay for about 3.5 months, thank goodness.