Hi Michele,

Thanks for writing to us. You’ve asked an important question, one that is relevant to many cancer survivors as they begin job searching. Understanding what your health insurance coverage will look like is critical, so figuring out how to obtain details on a prospective employer’s health insurance plan (without disclosing your health history) can understandably be a concern.

The first thing to know is that—in general -you are under no legal obligation to disclose your medical history and/or any medical conditions to your employer (prospective or otherwise), but ultimately it’s a personal decision. I would recommend watching our webinar to get a better understanding on issues around disclosure: http://www.cancerandcareers.org/en/community/videos/bwc/2016-webinar-online

Although choosing if/when to disclose is a personal decision, you might want to wait until you’ve been offered the job and are in the negotiation phase to discuss health insurance details. At that point, you should feel confident to ask questions that pertain to your compensation, benefits and insurance package (most employers are expecting you do that during this phase in the hiring process). It’s important to get a full understanding of your benefits before accepting an offer. Ask for a written copy of your benefits package to review and then make a notes of any questions you have for them. Asking a wide-range of questions, even if the healthcare benefits are your primary concern, will help to ensure you don’t inadvertently set off any red flags. Ask about vacation time, performance review processes, bonus structures, dental and vision plans, as well as what kind of health insurance is available, are there different plans or providers to choose from, etc.

Also consider doing some research on the companies you’re interested in working for to see if you can gain some insight into what they provide to their employees. Websites like glassdoor.com, linkedin.com, indeed.com, salary.com, simplyhired.com and payscale.com may help you identify what they are offering their employees and/or what other similar companies are offering. 

I hope this is helpful! If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us at cancerandcareers@cew.org or 646-929-8032.

Kind regards,

Nicole Franklin, MPH

Manager of Programs

Cancer and Careers

Thank you for a really nice and helpful article. I really enjoyed it.