STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

kenzie · Chanel

Health Insurance Question

Kari · Dooney & Bourke

I would suggest contacting them again. You'd hate for the coverage to expire before you could get the COBRA activated or whatever you do. I think once you leave a job, you have until the end of that same month, but I could be mistaken.

-- Edited by Kari at 12:50, 2005-07-05

poptart · Coach

I think Kari is right - seems like it is usually the end of the month.

alb · Marc Jacobs

I don't know a lot about COBRA but I *think* you have 60 days to elect to participate in it, so your employer must/should offer it to you before that time. I understand that it is very expensive, like several hunder dollars a month I think, and it basically just extends the coverage you already have. HTH a little! Someone else might be able to give you more specifics.

kenzie · Chanel

Right, but doesn't the company only have a certain amount of time to offer me COBRA? I know there are laws about that, but I just don't know what they are.

Thanks for all of your responses, but I think I should clarify. My company hasn't even offered me COBRA. I don't have any forms to fill out. I haven't even been given the option to elect COBRA. That was my question. What can I do about it?

-- Edited by NylaBelle at 12:54, 2005-07-05

Andrea Julia · Coach

NylaBelle wrote:

How long does a company have after you quit to offer you COBRA insurance? I've been out of my hellish job for over a month and I haven't heard anything. I called my insurance company and according to their records, I'm still insured under them. But I haven't been paying for it, since I haven't been working there. Can someone tell me what the legistics of COBRA are? I know that everywhere else that I've worked, I was offered COBRA within a week or so of quitting.

The last full time job I had before my current job was a few years ago and they offered COBRA at my exit interview. I said no because it was rather expensive and since I was still in school, I could just hop back on my parents' insurance.

alb · Marc Jacobs

NylaBelle wrote:

Right, but doesn't the company only have a certain amount of time to offer me COBRA? I know there are laws about that, but I just don't know what they are. Thanks for all of your responses, but I think I should clarify. My company hasn't even offered me COBRA. I don't have any forms to fill out. I haven't even been given the option to elect COBRA. That was my question. What can I do about it?-- Edited by NylaBelle at 12:54, 2005-07-05

I think the law applies to the individual electing coverage, like you have a certain # of days to elect it or it's waived. I just think the employer is required to offer it to you upon your departure.

I would just ask them (or tell them) if they are going to give you the forms you need for Cobra, they should explain it to you too. Is there an HR dep't? If not, they may just not know about it, but if you mention it they should offer it to you.

-- Edited by alb at 12:59, 2005-07-05

kenzie · Chanel

alb wrote:

I think the law applies to the individual electing coverage, like you have a certain # of days to elect it or it's waived. I just think the employer is required to offer it to you upon your departure.

Okay, so what can I do if they haven't offered it to me and have not responded to my calls? I really can't go w/o insurance!

alb · Marc Jacobs

Nylabell--I edited my post to answer your question but then saw that you said they weren't returning your calls. If that's the case, can you go there in person and tell them they need to offer this to you? If they aren't taking your calls, that's what I would suggest.

kenzie · Chanel

alb wrote:

Nylabell--I edited my post to answer your question but then saw that you said they weren't returning your calls. If that's the case, can you go there in person and tell them they need to offer this to you? If they aren't taking your calls, that's what I would suggest.

No, I can't b/c it's in another state that is too far away from me. I'm not sure what actions to take from here.

bex · Chanel

NylaBelle wrote:

alb wrote: Nylabell--I edited my post to answer your question but then saw that you said they weren't returning your calls. If that's the case, can you go there in person and tell them they need to offer this to you? If they aren't taking your calls, that's what I would suggest. No, I can't b/c it's in another state that is too far away from me. I'm not sure what actions to take from here.

At my first job, they didn't physically offer me COBRA. I had to go and hunt the HR person down and get it. It is quite expensive (so be prepared) and your HR department should have all the info on it. I think it is 30-60 days after you leave that you have to get it. Also, you can carry it as long as you want to. A friend of mine started her own business last year around this time and took COBRA when she left and is still using it a year later!

Keep hounding your HR people at your last job. Someone has to return your call eventually.

good luck!

gruiz · Kenneth Cole

If you can't figure out the COBRA thing, I think you can call up some insurance companies (not all offer it) and get an indivual insurance policy.

When I was out of work I got a policy from these people:
Golden Rule

MUCH much cheaper than COBRA...I can't remember how much it was exactly, but it was less than $150/month.

It can't hurt to call them and ask some questions. Hope it works out for you, it's scary to be without health insurance.

kenzie · Chanel

gruiz wrote:

If you can't figure out the COBRA thing, I think you can call up some insurance companies (not all offer it) and get an indivual insurance policy. When I was out of work I got a policy from these people: Golden Rule MUCH much cheaper than COBRA...I can't remember how much it was exactly, but it was less than $150/month. It can't hurt to call them and ask some questions. Hope it works out for you, it's scary to be without health insurance.

Hey, gruiz, thanks for the link! I'll check that out. My college also offers insurance to their alumni, so I'm looking into that, too. I definitely don't want to be without insurance!

atlgirl · Gucci

Here is some information for you:

http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq_consumer_cobra.html#

Damn, I can NEVER get this linking stuff to work, so I guess you'll just have to cut & paste. But it should answer all your questions.

Get with your company ASAP because even though COBRA is expensive, you are right in that you don't want to go w/out insurance. Does your new job not offer health insurance??

kenzie · Chanel

atlgirl wrote:

Does your new job not offer health insurance??

They do, but it's after 90 days, so I have until September. Ugh.

atlgirl · Gucci

Actually, Bex, that's not true. It's a max 36 months coverage. Just FYI

bex · Chanel

atlgirl wrote:

Actually, Bex, that's not true. It's a max 36 months coverage. Just FYI

oh- good to know! i just know my friend has had it for about 16 months now...