Can my employer force me to take dental coverage?

[BikerRia]

What is the name of your state? What is the name of your state? PA

My company is thinking about purchasing a group dental insurance plan. The caveat is that ALL employees covered by our health insurance must at a minimum take individual coverage for this option to be available to anyone. Is this fair? I don't want the coverage (I go to a small town dentist who is inexpensive and the plan would cost more per year than what the visit would cost me out of pocket!) but there are others in the office with children who do. Majority will rule, of course... but I don't know if it is legal to force this on us?

 

[cbg]

I'm going to guess that you work for a very small company - probably under 50 employees and certainly under 100.

The very high likelihood is that it isn't your employer making that demand but the dental insurance carrier. It is common for insurance carriers, particularly dental, life and disability carriers, to demand 100% participation from a small business. It really doesn't pay them to cover a small group if they don't have full participation.

As to the legality, that varies. In my state, it's legal IF the employer is paying the full amount of the premium. If the employee is paying part of the premium, they have to be allowed to opt out. In most cases, the way this full participation clause is handled for this kind of contradition is that the insurer will agree to take 100% of the employees who cannot provide proof of other coverage. So if you're covered by your spouse's policy, you can opt out even if there's a 100% clause in the insurance contract.

My suggestion would be to contact your state insurance commission and ask them whether or not forced participation is legal in your state. If it is, and if many of the employees are not going to want the coverage, you should go to your employer and ask him NOT to get dental coverage.