First full-time job, should I sign up for benefits?

[Dire Sloth]

I just got hired on to my first full-time job. Normally I don't look into benefits, because I've always just been on my parents' insurance, but up until recently my dad quit his job so we didn't have insurance. I took it as a sign that I needed to start buying insurance for myself. I have asked my manager, parents, Google, so on for advice; My parents told me I should ask my manager. My manager said it was better to go with a non-network provider rather than a network provider with the company even though you pay more. Basically (it sounded to me), she added it up to 'pay more for your insurance with non-network provider, and said provider will pay more later on.'
I relayed this to my parents, and they basically said the opposite was true, so I have no idea. If I did go with a non-network provider I have no idea who to choose or how to choose between so many. My dad recently got another job, and now they're telling me I should just stay on their plan, though I imagine they'll start making me pay. Regardless I'd prefer to start paying for my own insurance, but if it staying with mom and dad is just THAT much of a deal, then... yah. Save money, right?

So I guess basically, I don't know if I should choose a network or non-network provider for insurance, or just stay on the parents' plan.

 

[Vausch]

*Insert bit about single payer option making everybody's lives easier here*

That aside, you should ask about the plan(s) your work offers and see what the coverage includes and how soon you can receive the benefits. Get physical paper forms, if you can. There's also additional insurance options like Aflac that don't cost much but do add substantial amounts of coverage like what my family uses for dental, so you could get the work plan with that and it would likely not cost more than buying it yourself.

Compare the work plan to some others that are third party and see if the premium outweighs the benefits, then go with what you feel would work best.

 

[Dire Sloth]

*Insert bit about single payer option making everybody's lives easier here*

That aside, you should ask about the plan(s) your work offers and see what the coverage includes and how soon you can receive the benefits. Get physical paper forms, if you can. There's also additional insurance options like Aflac that don't cost much but do add substantial amounts of coverage like what my family uses for dental, so you could get the work plan with that and it would likely not cost more than buying it yourself.

Compare the work plan to some others that are third party and see if the premium outweighs the benefits, then go with what you feel would work best.

*Load from last save point*
What do you think would be considered "paying too much" for a - mostly - independent 22 year old? Should I worry about that sort of thing? I guess it's just a matter of comparing.
Thank you, though, for you advice.

 

[Vausch]

*Insert bit about single payer option making everybody's lives easier here*

That aside, you should ask about the plan(s) your work offers and see what the coverage includes and how soon you can receive the benefits. Get physical paper forms, if you can. There's also additional insurance options like Aflac that don't cost much but do add substantial amounts of coverage like what my family uses for dental, so you could get the work plan with that and it would likely not cost more than buying it yourself.

Compare the work plan to some others that are third party and see if the premium outweighs the benefits, then go with what you feel would work best.

*Load from last save point*
What do you think would be considered "paying too much" for a - mostly - independent 22 year old? Should I worry about that sort of thing? I guess it's just a matter of comparing.
Thank you, though, for you advice.

Are you in good health? Do you eat well? Do you exercise? Do you partake in activities that have higher than normal chances of causing bodily injury?

Essentially you just gotta factor in how much you're willing to spend, how often you visit the doctor on average, and how likely you are to need to visit based on emergency chances of your daily routine.