Your previous employer was apparently more generous than your new employer. It is not uncommon that an employer, when establishing a Small Business policy, can request that employees pay a portion of the premium. When applying for coverage, the employer must disclose the employer contribution to the insurance company for both employees and dependents. These can be different percentages. If the employer contribution is 75%, that leaves a 25% employee contribution. There are many contribution requirements for employers, but 75% likely eceeds this minimum. This depends on the size of the company and the state in which you reside. If the 100% employee contribution to insure your children is too high, you do not need to include them on the group coverage. Consider purchasing separate insurance for your children. If your children are currently without health insurance, add them to the group policy now. You can always remove them from the group coverage when you find a more affordable option. The premium for the 25% employee contribution for yourself will probably be less epensive than you could find on an individual plan, so you will want to enroll in the group plan. — June 16, 2009 @ 9:09 pm