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wegotdatwood 
Arkansas Fan
Member since Aug 2009
13754 posts
| What would you do? Get out of the Guard or stay in? (Health insurance question) (Posted on 12/5/12 at 7:22 pm)
My health insurance is $52 a month and it's awesome since I'm in the guard. $1000 max out of pocket a year. My wife has her insurance covered by her employer (she doesn't love the job and will move at some point within the next 2 years) and I have single coverage.
The family rate (my wife and I plan to start having kids now and over the next few years) is $192 a month.
My employer insurance program would cost us $550 to $1100 a month. That depends on which plan we choose.
First, I absolutely hate the guard and can't wait to get out. I don't want to deploy again and if I stay in the required 20 years to draw insurance (I'll only have done 6) I will have to deploy again. I don't want to put my wife and future kids through that process.
I also hate missing football a weekend each month, I know that sounds stupid but I love watching football.
But...
I also don't want to drop around 1k a month for health insurance. Drill would also pay me about $250 a month for drill.
I'm set to get out in January of 2014. It's really not a big deal until we have kids or she moves to a different job.
This post was edited on 12/5 at 7:27 pm
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matthew25 
Ole Miss Fan
Member since Jun 2012
1525 posts
| re: What would you do? Get out of the Guard or stay in? (Health insurance question) (Posted on 12/5/12 at 10:50 pm to wegotdatwood)
Cost-Benefit analysis: Is the Guard worth additional $15k a year ($12,000 insurance and $3000 annual pay), to miss 4 of 12 games, and deploy again (aren't deployments being cut back?)
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Layabout 
UNO Fan
Baton Rouge
Member since Jul 2011
4465 posts
| re: What would you do? Get out of the Guard or stay in? (Health insurance question) (Posted on 12/5/12 at 11:10 pm to wegotdatwood)
If Obamacare accomplishes one thing I hope it is to begin divorcing health insurance from employment. I know so many people who have been forced to make unfortunate career choices because of health insurance considerations who have lived to bitterly regret it.
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wegotdatwood
Arkansas Fan
Member since Aug 2009
13754 posts
| re: What would you do? Get out of the Guard or stay in? (Health insurance question) (Posted on 12/5/12 at 11:43 pm to matthew25)
quote:
Cost-Benefit analysis: Is the Guard worth additional $15k a year ($12,000 insurance and $3000 annual pay), to miss 4 of 12 games,
Yes
quote:
and deploy again
Not to me.
quote:
(aren't deployments being cut back?)
Nope, Africa is next in line for the future. It really doesn't matter if they are "cut back" unless I'm on the one of few out there. Still a shite ton of people in Iraq/Afghanistan/Africa.
This post was edited on 12/5 at 11:45 pm
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matthew25
Ole Miss Fan
Member since Jun 2012
1525 posts
| re: What would you do? Get out of the Guard or stay in? (Health insurance question) (Posted on 12/5/12 at 11:46 pm to wegotdatwood)
Are you referring to Libya/Egypt?
I know the oilfield workers around Jackson will not go back to Nigeria.
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wegotdatwood
Arkansas Fan
Member since Aug 2009
13754 posts
| re: What would you do? Get out of the Guard or stay in? (Health insurance question) (Posted on 12/5/12 at 11:49 pm to matthew25)
quote:
Are you referring to Libya/Egypt?
Yes
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wegotdatwood
Arkansas Fan
Member since Aug 2009
13754 posts
| re: What would you do? Get out of the Guard or stay in? (Health insurance question) (Posted on 12/6/12 at 12:00 am to matthew25)
That's why it's tough.
To me, the only pro is the insurance.
Cons-
I hate it
Deployment
Miss sports
Hate the military
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ATL TGR 
LSU Fan
Houston
Member since Apr 2008
2609 posts
| re: What would you do? Get out of the Guard or stay in? (Health insurance question) (Posted on 12/6/12 at 7:54 am to wegotdatwood)
Doesn't sound like something you should do for another 14 years
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matthew25
Ole Miss Fan
Member since Jun 2012
1525 posts
| re: What would you do? Get out of the Guard or stay in? (Health insurance question) (Posted on 12/6/12 at 9:25 am to ATL TGR)
Agree- 14 years for something you do not like is a self-imposed prison sentence.
But on a year to year basis- how do you replace the $15K. If you can replace the money, get out.
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Hand 
Army Fan
far side of the moon
Member since Dec 2007
1957 posts
| re: What would you do? Get out of the Guard or stay in? (Health insurance question) (Posted on 12/6/12 at 9:27 am to wegotdatwood)
No offense, but it sounds like you've already made your decision.
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Ric Flair
LSU Fan
Charlotte
Member since Oct 2005
6349 posts
| re: What would you do? Get out of the Guard or stay in? (Health insurance question) (Posted on 12/6/12 at 10:09 am to wegotdatwood)
Can you get on the wife's plan?
I would get a single high deductible (5K) plan from BCBS to cover any major surgeries/accidents, as long as you are in good health. Keep your wife on her employer's plan.
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wegotdatwood
Arkansas Fan
Member since Aug 2009
13754 posts
| re: What would you do? Get out of the Guard or stay in? (Health insurance question) (Posted on 12/6/12 at 2:25 pm to Ric Flair)
I can get on her health insurance. Not sure how much it would be.
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wegotdatwood
Arkansas Fan
Member since Aug 2009
13754 posts
| re: What would you do? Get out of the Guard or stay in? (Health insurance question) (Posted on 12/6/12 at 2:28 pm to matthew25)
I wouldn't replace the 15k. We net around 5k now and will stay there for a while.
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Tbobby 
USA Fan
Member since Dec 2006
3211 posts
| re: What would you do? Get out of the Guard or stay in? (Health insurance question) (Posted on 12/6/12 at 6:14 pm to wegotdatwood)
quote:
My employer insurance program would cost us $550 to $1100 a month.
Unacceptably expensive. Most of my family are ex-military and have CHAMPUS insurance which is great. Do Guardsmen have this option?
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wegotdatwood
Arkansas Fan
Member since Aug 2009
13754 posts
| re: What would you do? Get out of the Guard or stay in? (Health insurance question) (Posted on 12/6/12 at 7:17 pm to Tbobby)
I don't know, I've never heard of that before. I doubt it, I assume you would need to be retired to be able to get that insurance, I will only have done 6 years.
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Cholo
Arkansas Fan
El Paso, Texas
Member since Oct 2012
975 posts
| re: What would you do? Get out of the Guard or stay in? (Health insurance question) (Posted on 12/7/12 at 8:43 am to wegotdatwood)
Go active duty.
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wegotdatwood
Arkansas Fan
Member since Aug 2009
13754 posts
| re: What would you do? Get out of the Guard or stay in? (Health insurance question) (Posted on 12/7/12 at 12:22 pm to Cholo)
No, I'd kill myself.
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Servedinafghanistan 
New Orleans Saints Fan
FWB, FL
Member since Feb 2005
6367 posts
| re: What would you do? Get out of the Guard or stay in? (Health insurance question) (Posted on 12/7/12 at 2:20 pm to wegotdatwood)
I didn't realize it was so high. I just retired and I have Tricare Prime.
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wegotdatwood
Arkansas Fan
Member since Aug 2009
13754 posts
| re: What would you do? Get out of the Guard or stay in? (Health insurance question) (Posted on 12/7/12 at 2:56 pm to Servedinafghanistan)
What is so high? Tricare prime? How much?
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matthew25
Ole Miss Fan
Member since Jun 2012
1525 posts
| re: What would you do? Get out of the Guard or stay in? (Health insurance question) (Posted on 12/7/12 at 7:05 pm to wegotdatwood)
I have heard Tricare is about $450 per year, and has not been raised for 16 years. The retirees go nuts and flood their congressman's mailbox if the hint is in the air that the premium might be raised.
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