Family Coverage at the Dining Room Table

Families around the country are evaluating their employer-sponsored health insurance options and selecting their health plan coverage for 2025. Several working parents talked about their personal and financial preferences for their families over coffee and dessert at the dining room table. Here’s what they shared:

• Cancer prevention. Parents obtained genetic testing and counseling for themselves and their children because of the father’s family history of cancer. The tests, which were covered by their health plan, revealed markers for cancer. While the results were disturbing, the parents knew that regular screening to identify cancer early would be covered.
• Alcohol rehabilitation. Dad had admitted himself into a rehab program to address his alcohol abuse. After consulting with his primary care physician, his health plan authorized admission to an in-network program. However, the family struggled with the stress of dad being away from home and the program’s out-of-pocket costs.  
• High-risk maternity care. A nearly 40-year-old woman was pregnant for the first time. She and her husband lived about 60 miles from a major medical center. Access to in-network obstetricians with appropriate experience was a challenge. They were switching to a health plan with a broader provider network (and at a higher cost).  

These working parents worried about the total cost (premium and out-of-pocket maximum) of their employer-sponsored health plans. They also complained about the administrative burden of “anything and everything” health insurance. In other words, these consumers were Mastering Health Insurance.

Photo: A family a la Halloween in Chicago