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What also works in The Netherlands is that insurance is not tied to employment. I've heard that many American workers quit in the early days of the month, so t

What also works in The Netherlands is that insurance is not tied to employment. I've heard that many American workers quit in the early days of the month, so that their ex-employer is still covering their health insurance that month, and their next employer (presuming they have another job to go to) picks it up in the next month. I can't imagine how many people are stuck in jobs they hate just because they are afraid to be without insurance. It can't be good for anyone.

graedus 7y ago
> I can't imagine how many people are stuck in jobs they hate just because they are afraid to be without insurance. It can't be good for anyone. It seems like it is good for employers for employees to be more precarious and dependent on them.
bluedino 7y ago
I really doubt anyone times their quitting to the start of the month. People just up and quit because they don't want to work. Also, many health insurance plans from your employer don't start immediately. Sometimes you have to tiptoe around for 90 days until you get coverage. Source: American, and it's always funny to hear what people in other countires 'think' about the USA
- joshypants 7y ago
  Actually it's worse, I've done much more involved backbending and hoop jumping to make sure I was covered between jobs than just quitting around the beginning of the month.
- jedberg 7y ago
  I've most definitely timed my job changes to insurance coverage. And luckily in the software industry, insurance tends to kick in on day 1.
- mAEStro-paNDa 7y ago
  >I really doubt anyone times their quitting to the start of the month. People just up and quit because they don't want to work. I won't defend the specific scenario given but the second sentence there is a huge generalization. You're correct that insurance plans don't start immediately, but that also leaves people in a difficult, even if temporary, situation. Europeans however are correct to think that the healthcare system in the US is abysmal, because it is. All this goes without saying that employment-tied insurance puts people in precarious positions, which is obvious.
- cloverich 7y ago
  My (family) insurance plan carries a $2,000 monthly premium charge (which is far cheaper than the care we've received in the last year). I timed my last two departures to maintain coverage for the month, as its the only way I can get time between jobs without having to (immediately) purchase health insurance. It would be nice to not have to do that, but in the grand scheme of things (less than) a month is not a very long period of time.
- lordCarbonFiber 7y ago
  N=1 I 100% quit the first of March such that I was covered for that month. Pretty much my only option to keep my perscriptions and scheduled blood tests affordable. And Im a tech worker with piles of disposable income, imagine if the potential 1000$ medical charge wasn't something I could absorb. The US systems is royally fucked; sardonically quipping about "those crazy foreigners" doesn't make it better.
- rabidrat 7y ago
  I have both done this and advised other people to time their departure like this. I take a few weeks off between jobs and I only had to get screwed the one time before I learned I had to take that into account.

graedus 7y ago

> I can't imagine how many people are stuck in jobs they hate just because they are afraid to be without insurance. It can't be good for anyone. It seems like it is good for employers for employees to be more precarious and dependent on them.

bluedino 7y ago

I really doubt anyone times their quitting to the start of the month. People just up and quit because they don't want to work. Also, many health insurance plans from your employer don't start immediately. Sometimes you have to tiptoe around for 90 days until you get coverage. Source: American, and it's always funny to hear what people in other countires 'think' about the USA

joshypants 7y ago
Actually it's worse, I've done much more involved backbending and hoop jumping to make sure I was covered between jobs than just quitting around the beginning of the month.
jedberg 7y ago
I've most definitely timed my job changes to insurance coverage. And luckily in the software industry, insurance tends to kick in on day 1.
mAEStro-paNDa 7y ago
>I really doubt anyone times their quitting to the start of the month. People just up and quit because they don't want to work. I won't defend the specific scenario given but the second sentence there is a huge generalization. You're correct that insurance plans don't start immediately, but that also leaves people in a difficult, even if temporary, situation. Europeans however are correct to think that the healthcare system in the US is abysmal, because it is. All this goes without saying that employment-tied insurance puts people in precarious positions, which is obvious.
cloverich 7y ago
My (family) insurance plan carries a $2,000 monthly premium charge (which is far cheaper than the care we've received in the last year). I timed my last two departures to maintain coverage for the month, as its the only way I can get time between jobs without having to (immediately) purchase health insurance. It would be nice to not have to do that, but in the grand scheme of things (less than) a month is not a very long period of time.
lordCarbonFiber 7y ago
N=1 I 100% quit the first of March such that I was covered for that month. Pretty much my only option to keep my perscriptions and scheduled blood tests affordable. And Im a tech worker with piles of disposable income, imagine if the potential 1000$ medical charge wasn't something I could absorb. The US systems is royally fucked; sardonically quipping about "those crazy foreigners" doesn't make it better.
rabidrat 7y ago
I have both done this and advised other people to time their departure like this. I take a few weeks off between jobs and I only had to get screwed the one time before I learned I had to take that into account.