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health insurance by zip code discrimination

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M

massun

Guest
What is the name of your state? wisconsin, minnesota

my employer bases health insurance benefits on home zip codes. i work in mn and live in wi (border towns). employees who live in mn have more and better health insurance plan options than employees who live in wi even though we have access to the same health care providers (hospitals & clinics).

initially, i was told by my employer that i could use my work zip code to determine health insurance benefits. then, they switched my insurance to the only option i had based on my wi zip code without notifying me.

it seems like discrimination to me because i am being treated differently resulting in lower pay than if i lived in mn.
 


cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
It's entirely possible that the cost to the employer for employees who live out of state is higher, regardless of whether you have access to the same network or not.

In any case, "discrimination on the basis of zip code" is not illegal.
 

Beth3

Senior Member
No, this is not discrimination. If your employer wants to offer different health insurance benefits based on geographic location, they may. "Zip code discrimination" is not prohibited by any laws.

P.S. As an senior HR professional with multiple employee locations throughout Wisconsin, I can tell you that there are often very specific reasons related to the business, the geographic area, and/or the health plans available in different areas why an employer does this. In some cases, they don't have other options.
 
M

massun

Guest
yes, but...

Alright, I have found out that health insurance is a very complicated subject, however, let me elaborate on a statement I made in my first post.

The HR dept at my company sent me a form to use my work zip code to determine my health insurance options. I signed that form and returned it. The form must have been processed by HR because they were taking premiums out of my paycheck for "option A". Then, a month later, they withdrew the premiums paid to option A and switched me to option B without notifying me.

Does my initial selection based on the form provided by HR amount to a contract?
 

Beth3

Senior Member
Does my initial selection based on the form provided by HR amount to a contract? A contract between you and the company? No.

Why haven't you contacted HR and asked what's going on? It could be a clerical error or it could be that "option A" is no longer available for some reason. If that's the case, HR should have contacted affected individuals and explained things but since they didn't, you should pick up the phone and ask.

Yes, group health insurance is an extremely complicated subject. And it just keeps getting more and more complicated every year.
 
M

massun

Guest
Just a number.

Of course I have contacted my HR department. If they had provided fair and reasonable explanation I WOULDN'T BE SEEKING LEGAL ADVICE. I am not seeking additional spin from corporate HR reps.
 

Beth3

Senior Member
How about saving the attitude? You never said you contacted anyone in HR asking for an explanation and I'm not a mindreader. Most folks who post here haven't taken the time to ask their employers for an explanation of whatever their problem is.

If HR won't give you an explanation, then contact whoever the head of HR reports to, explain your problem and that HR has been unresponsive.
 

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