From October 3 – 28 the Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission (GIC) is accepting applicants for insurance buyouts that could save you money on your health insurance. Is GIC coverage right for you? Find out what GIC policyholders are saying about the state-funded service.
Who qualifies for the Group Insurance Commission Buy-Out program?
The GIC Buy-Out program offers Massachusetts state employees and retirees comparable coverage plans for three-quarters of the price.
Under the Buy-Out program, eligible state employees and state retirees receive 25% of the full-cost monthly premium in lieu of health insurance benefits for one 12-month period of time. – mass.gov
How do I know if I’m eligible for GIC health insurance?
Employees insured with GIC health insurance on July 1st of this year or before, and who continue their health coverage through December 31 of this year may apply to buy out their health plan coverage effective January 1 of next year. – mass.gov
Where can I apply for the GIC Buy-Out program?
State employees and state retirees are encouraged to make their Health Insurance Buy-Out enrollment changes directly through MyGICLink. Members also have the option of submitting changes using GIC Online Forms or GIC Print Forms. All applications must be submitted by Friday, October 28th. – mass.gov
What are Group Insurance Commission (GIC) reviews saying?
It may save you a sizable chunk off your health insurance premium, but as the expression goes, if it’s too good to be true, it probably is.
What are GIC policyholders saying about their experience with the state-funded agency?
GIC Reviews (avg. 3.3 ⭐) – Nicelocal
A few policyholders said enrolling in GIC was quick and easy.
See:
However, 15 out of 19 of the reviews were not satisfied with their experience.
⭐ “A state agency that will not answer its phones and will not provide useful contact information is not much of an agency at all.”
⭐ “I just finally got in touch with someone I’ve been trying since March I left 3 or messages prior. I asked what I needed to do to cancel my dental. I needed to prove that I just got insurance in the last 30 to 60 days to cancel the enrollment time. I told them I’d had the new insurance since march she rudely told me I couldn’t. I asked how is that my fault if no one answered me the 3 times I left messages. She told me that was not her problem. Great job”
⭐ “It should be a (-1) star, but I wasn’t given that option. I am in agreement with the other reviews, i.e., lack of communication and sitting on hold for indefinite periods of time to get an answer. I’m also confused about their role in the health insurance conundrum.”
Common themes are difficulty getting in touch with customer service, long response times, and the quality of support.
The most concerning customer reviews referred to increased drug prices under GIC. – Nicelocal
⭐ “Is there a button for 0 Stars? When you have one drug program only for all state employees it’s called a Monopoly. Thank you, my drug cost just went up 100%.”
⭐ “People can no longer take the medications or doses they were taking fur many years and cost of prescriptions tripled (or more)! Hundreds of dollars for generic medications that have been around for years?”
We can’t imagine switching to state-offered health insurance in Massachusetts, expecting to save money, and finding that your prescriptions aren’t covered. When you factor in GIC’s history of poor customer service and long response times, that could mean being in a difficult situation for long periods of time if your prescriptions aren’t covered.
We’re sure GIC is doing the best it can to serve its state employee policyholders with the resources available to them. However, with you and your health in mind, do the pros outweigh the cons?
How do the employees feel about GIC? (avg. 1.9 ⭐) – Glassdoor
⭐⭐⭐ “Lots of changes with new management. Changing roles. Communication between departments need improvement”
⭐ An anonymous one-star review said the position was “easy”, however, the cons included salary, workload, and pressure.
Talk to an Insurance Expert Before Taking an Insurance Buy-Out.
It’s best to talk to an insurance expert before changing health insurance plans, preferably a human. When it comes to insurance expertise, there’s simply no substitute for experience or dedication. Because after all, your protection is only as good as the company and people providing it. For more than 50 years, Saltmarsh Insurance has been helping protect people from the risks they face every day.
Our network of top-rated health insurance providers offers highly competitive rates and comprehensive coverage. You may be able to save money on your health insurance without sacrificing excellent customer service and insured prescriptions.
Call today at 781-729-4615 to speak with an insurance expert or visit us at www.saltmarshinsurance.com
