Can my employer force me to sign up for the health plan they provide?

You cannot be forced to purchase a health insurance policy through your employer, but doing so can save you a lot of money in the long run if your employer pays a portion of the premiums. Even under the ACA, also called Obamacare, you are free to choose the health plan that works best for you, and cannot be compelled to purchase coverage through the workplace or any other source.

Many employers offer to pay a percentage of your health insurance premiums as a benefit of working for them. The amount the employer chooses to pay varies by employer and many companies offer increased participation after a specific number of years employment. Occasionally, the employer will even pay the full premiums. In both of these cases, you could get health insurance elsewhere, but even at a few cents on the dollar, the employer paid portion will quickly add up to a tremendous savings over purchasing a separate policy that you pay for out of pocket.

Before you decide to join or pass on an employer-provided health insurance package, take a few minutes to get a free online health insurance quote from this website. It only takes a short time to fill in the form and then you will receive a primary quote from the best insurance package available through the site, along with comparison quotes for other companies represented. Since this website is an independent agent, it is able to provide you with more choices than you could get through a dedicated, employer-sponsored offering. Whether you will find a deal that beats what you'd save through employer participation depends on many factors, but you will at least have something to compare your purchase with.

Even when the ACA individual health insurance mandate goes into effect, you cannot be required to purchase the coverage through any particular company. Under the law, you are required to carry a minimum amount of health insurance, but you can purchase that coverage through any source you choose, including your employer, state or federal health insurance marketplaces, or even purchasing independently from a website such as this one.