Dear Blake,
When my husband and I married a year ago, I dropped my health insurance plan and joined his family plan, since he also provides coverage for his children, including one who is an adult. There was no additional cost to add me.
However, months later, the insurance company raised the monthly premium for all employees. When my husband talked to his adult child about helping to pay their share of the premium, they avoided an answer, and the issue was dropped. My husband recently raised the subject again, and was met with the same avoidance and excuses about not working enough hours at their job. They are not a full-time college student, either.
Shortly after the conversation ended, this adult child took to social media to rant about what a jerk their dad is for asking them to help pay, and then also posted several accusations that were untrue. This hurt my husband deeply, and his attempts to communicate are being ignored.
My husband was never heavy-handed about it. He was hoping that, as a young adult, they would understand why they were being asked to assist with their health care. Instead, it has turned into a childish, disrespectful attack. My husband now wants to remove this adult child from his insurance entirely, and I agree, even knowing the possible ramifications.
Does this make us bad people? Is it wrong to ask a young adult to help with the cost of their medical needs?
Signed, Gladys
From Atlanta, Georgia
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Dear Gladys,
If your husband removes his son from his health insurance plan, no doubt his son is going to be outraged. But there are other lists I think your husband should remove him from too, to cut all the apron strings from that loser. Here are some ideas. Remove him from the Christmas card list, and send some to the people that will probably tell him that they received one from his dad. Be sure and send them the expensive overpriced ones from Hallmark to show money isn’t an issue. Or, remove him from the family gathering list. And then invite all of your relatives over except him, being sure to encourage everyone to post pictures on Facebook showing how much fun it was… without any slackers and freeloaders. Or this idea. Remove him from the vacation list, and then take some friends and family on trip, that you paid for in its entirety to celebrate you being rid of a pathetic sponge that was attempting to financially bleed you dry. And lastly, you shouldn’t remove him from everything. In fact, you should permanently add him to your fertilizer list… if you know what I mean. I hope this helps.
Blake