Anyone know why I cant cancel my Health Insurance through my employer until "open enrollment"?

Yes, it is correct that the IRS has regulations regarding open enrollment and mid-year changes to pre-tax benefit plans (such as health insurance). Here's a link from the University of Georgia regarding the IRS regulations...I picked this specific link, because its relatively simple to read. (As opposed to reading the cumbersome text of the actual IRS regulation.) Even though this link was designed for University of Georgia employees, its still the same relevant info to all of us, since it describes the IRS rules. http://www.hr.uga.edu/benefits/bensumm/change_family_status.html

Yes, you wouldn't "have" spent that much if you paid cash. But I know a guy that decided it was cheaper to go without insurance for a couple months, had a heart attack and now he has to go without his home. Yep, had to sell his house to pay his medical bills from the hospital. I broke my wrist 3 months ago - $10,000. I didn't expect it to happen and it'd been 20+ years since I broke anything, but it happened. My cost = $0. Consider this... Look into individual coverage and see what the cost is. Individual is almost always cheaper than group unless your employer is paying so you may be able to save money. Or, just pulling you off the plan may work as well. Make a decision and apply for it. Once the coverage is in force (and make sure you can get a refund if unable to drop the group) submit the form to drop the group. The reason is that he's(or you're) now covered under his spouse's plan. Whether you fib a little a tell them it's group coverage is up to you. Under no circumstance should you go without coverage and please don't tell me how healthy you are (because I hear that argument all the time), because healthy people get struck by drunk drivers too. And, I also know a kid without coverage that is now in a wheel chair with round the clock care and about ~$500,000 of medical bills. Jeff PS If COBRA is available from where you just left work and it's cheaper that should work too if you elect that coverage.

That's the law. That's how it works. And, if something really bad goes wrong, it's going to cost a lot more than $800 a month. Something else to keep in mind - once something goes wrong, depending on what the something is, NO ONE will sell you health insurance. See, the time to buy it, is when you're healthy. If you develop something while you're uninsured, you're possibly going to be uninsured for life - which means, broke, permanently. Uninsured medical costs are the #1 reason for bankruptcy filings in the US.

This is very common especially with large companies. It is because they do not want people to be making changes everyday. This would be so much paper work it's not even funny. A major life change like marriage, divorce, or even if your spouse gets his own insurance are the only types of reasons you can make a change between enrollment periods. Sorry :(

Most employers have rules like this for benefits changes.