The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, enacted late in 1996, provides that in most cases you and your family are entitled to coverage under a new employer's health plan without an exclusion for pre-existing conditions. Facing these costs is a reason to seek a signing bonus. If a new employer offers coverage, review the level of deductibles and co-payments you'll have to make and the limit on how much you'll shoulder out of pocket. Also figure in any premium you're obligated to pay. If you're staying in the same area, check whether your current doctors can provide service under the new plan.
Big employers tend to have more generous and stable medical plans with lots of choices.
Smaller firms may change plans every few years as they fight with limited negotiating power to keep costs down. A medical reimbursement account at your old employer requires special handling when employment ends. This type of plan lets you squirrel away before-tax dollars each payroll period and draw on those savings during the year to pay for medical expenses not covered by insurance. If you have money left in the account when you leave, you'll probably be able to draw on the balance until the end of the year, but check for specific rules about when expenses are incurred or claimed. Here's an odd twist to the rules on reimbursement accounts.