Losing my health insurance through job in two weeks, questions about utilizing my benefits and buying insurance independently
I’m paying $45/wk for insurance (health vision dental) through my work. Just got word today that something’s changing with the company and we’re being bought and absorbed by another company in two weeks. Had to apply to the “new” company with guaranteed selection. My hourly is going from $21 to $25 from this buyout with no health benefits. $19ish an hour if we elect to receive benefits, so basically I’d be paying $220ish/wk for benefits from the difference in pay, which to me sounds completely absurd.
I’ve only had insurance through my parent until I got a public sector job that provided health insurance and low cost dental/vision. Then when I got this job I only had like 3 options to choose from, which I had to get help to understand. So I don’t know anything about insurance or the costs. The $4 raise is desperately needed, but I don’t want to completely lose insurance. Are there plans for $200/mo like I’m paying now through my employer that aren’t completely garbage? Is there a resource out there where I can talk to an unbiased person to help me find something? Do I qualify for some kind of government subsidy for earning less than $xxx/yr?
Again, this raise is incredible and would help so much, but I don’t want to screw myself over if something happens or I need to go to the doctor. I take two common prescriptions that are like $10 ea with GoodRX, I may see a doctor once every 2-3 months, 30m. Everyone I’ve talked to at the company is saying they’re going to take the $25/hr and not take benefits, so im just wondering how people are getting insurance. Or if it’s going to cost me $800/mo, should I just take the gamble and hope nothing will happen?
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and lastly since ill still be paying for my benefits, can i use them last minute and everything be fine? i have a dentist appointment tomorrow and im going to see if they can do $800 worth of work to max it out in the next week. i also desperately need new glasses, if my plan reimburses me for “out of network” glasses, can i submit a claim after i no longer am with them, if i got my glasses while i was insured?
any help or advice would be greatly appreciated, im really stressing out over personal and financial crap, and now this was dropped on me 30 minutes before my shift started, so im having to scramble