COBRA ALTERNATIVES For majority of healthy workers who just want to be protected from unforeseen medical expense until they land another job, short term medical coverage is best answer. This coverage is issued online within minutes, covers all ordinary any necessary medical treatment from any medical provider in United States and requires no referrals. The cost of this coverage is less than 1/2 of price of COBRA plans. The two downsides are that this coverage does not cover pre-existing conditions and you must re-enroll after 6 months.

ELECTING NO COVERAGE Individuals in some states may wisely elect to keep no health coverage while unemployed with knowledge that they can join a health plan at any time, even after they are receiving medical treatments, and have all of their medical expenses for pre-existing medical conditions covered by new plan. Three of these states are New Jersey, New York and Vermont. The negative is that this type of health coverage, if needed, is ridiculously expensive. Some plans in these states run more than $2000 per month for family coverage.

RESOURCES IRS Notice 98-12 provides this information in form of questions and answers. The IRS publication on this subject can be found at ftp://ftp.irs.ustreas.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-98-12.pdf

Www.MedSave.com offers online enrollment for short term medical insurance nationwide and professional enrollment support by telephone at (877)-529-7435.

·First of all, companies who take time to identify and assess strengths and weaknesses of their current employees are wisely protecting themselves from costs associated with unnecessary terminations and increased recruiting efforts.

·Secondly, when employees are performing in positions that best suit their interests, skills, and personalities, they are less likely to leave.

·Finally, properly cast employees tend to get more work accomplished. When more work can be accomplished by fewer people, pressure is reduced to find more people in a job market in which top prospects are scarce.

Have you taken inventory of your human assets lately?

Copyright 2001, Mason Duchatschek