Married, adding spouse to Health Insurance

[yorkriver1]

So we got married, and I'm going to add her to my health coverage through work. On the ADP website it's asking me if she's a tobacco user, etc... but one of the options is disabled. She is on permanent disability, but I'm wondering if i should tell them that or not? I don't want my policy going up in price and If she smoked (which she doesn't) , i would never tell that that she did. Same thing?

1. tell the truth on all counts, tobacco and disability. This will be in your financial interest in the long run.
2. There may be coverage elsewhere for disability that could coordinate with the employer coverage. That's one reason why they ask the question.
All health plans generally ask periodically for all covered members whether there is other insurance so they can coordinate benefits properly.
Not that there is other insurance, but that's one reason the question would be asked.
Also, there could be a lawsuit for accident claims, which the insurance company needs to know as anything paid by the group insurance would need to be reimbursed eventually from a medical claim due to an accident where there is or could be a future settlement. I have a couple of clients who have just that situation, and they have to follow the rules which are that no double payment is acceptable. Pain and suffering award money is different from medical bills. I know this is way out in the field, and may not be your situation.
At some point if a disabled person gets Social Security disability, the group insurance would need to be notified. After 2 years the person will be eligible for Medicare, which would need to coordinate with the employer group insurance. The disabled person can get a Medicare Advantage plan then, but depending on the group coverage vs that option, the choice needs to be carefully considered.

 

[LostDollar]

So we got married, and I'm going to add her to my health coverage through work. On the ADP website it's asking me if she's a tobacco user, etc... but one of the options is disabled. She is on permanent disability, but I'm wondering if i should tell them that or not? I don't want my policy going up in price and If she smoked (which she doesn't) , i would never tell that that she did. Same thing?

(Caveat. not an agent)

If you lie on the application and then get your employer wrapped up in a fraudulent insurance claim situation, you might loose your job and your coverage. I am not an agent, so I don't know how the situation might play out, but I wouldn't think you would want to find out.

AND if your spouse is disabled, I would think it foolish to believe you will not have any claims to be paid and your lies discovered in communications between your providers and the insurance carrier.

I can not be certain, but I think the CFO of the last company I worked for would have had you fired immediately if he discovered your lies and believed you had deliberately engaged in mistruths on the applications.

 

[rousemark]

So we got married, and I'm going to add her to my health coverage through work. On the ADP website it's asking me if she's a tobacco user, etc... but one of the options is disabled. She is on permanent disability, but I'm wondering if i should tell them that or not? I don't want my policy going up in price and If she smoked (which she doesn't) , i would never tell that that she did. Same thing?

Yes, it is the same thing. It is an out and out lie.

 

[yorkriver1]

One reason the disability question is on the group app is for coordination of benefits. Sometimes there is an ongoing obligation from an accident to pay for certain medical expenses related to those specific injuries. Most group coverage at some point reminds each insured they need to disclose any other health coverage they may have like from a spouse's job, or other sources of funding like injury awards that include paying for treatment for the life of the injured party. I have encountered this a couple of times. Sometimes the disabled person has Medicare and/or Medicaid, which also needs to be taken into account for who is primary for claims. May/may not affect group eligibility.