COBRA BLOWS

We need to go on Cobra through my husband's job for approx. 32 days. It is $809.09 for the both of us for ONE MONTH. Don't know yet what they're going to do about the 2 days - if they have a heart, they'll pro-rate and won't charge us for the whole month!

As much as some of us pay through our jobs for insurance, let's be happy we have it!!

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Yes! We've been on cobra for over 6mos now. It's SOOOO much $$!

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Jake had cobra plus he is on my isurance

then the company he used to worked for closed- so if we wanted to keep the cobra for 2 months until his new job kicks in-

it was $900 - for him- he had to pay $2K out of pocket before they covered anything and this plan barley covered what he had before

it's such a rip off

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If people would have listen tot eh Clintons when it comes to health insurance!!!!! Insurance is just disgustingly expensive today!!!! We pay an arm & a leg for it!!!!!!

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I am on cobra now, for those 2 days, if your plan is the same as mine, don't pay.

you will be in a grace period. you will not be cancelled till the end of the month. If anything happens to you in those 2 days then you are up a creek.

Mine would not prorate anything.

I use Ceridan..something like that. I have BCBS.

good luck!

ETA: the grace period is good because if your new insurance is delayed, you can pay it at that point, and they pay retroactively.

Message edited 7/28/2006 1:40:18 PM.

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It's great to have though!

Right after I graduated college, I had to go on COBRA, and I broke my foot (stpuid me stepped in a hole ). I had to go to the doctor weekly to see how it was doing, and while the $12 per visit was annoying...I can't imagine how much it would have cost otherwise!

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Yes it does!! So much beaurocracy. But better to have it than not.

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As much as it stinks, I would pay the $800 not to have a lapse in insurance. Health care costs are so ridiculously high, I would be afraid to take the chance.

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I had to pay it for the 4th month of my maternity leave- it was $1300 for the 3 of us.

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His insurance is going to end Aug 28th. There is a three month wait for my insurance but since I requested it during July, they're counting it like I requested on July 1st - which is great b/;c now my insurance will start on Oct 1 instead of Nov 1 - which we initially thought.
So - we'll def need Cobra from Aug 28 until Sept 28 - but then those two days...better be covered in the grace!

Thanks for your advice, Janice.

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Message edited 3/24/2012 6:27:09 PM.

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Some tips for you all, I work in insurance for Empire BCBS.

Cobra is run by the State not the insurance companies, so the guidlines are all the same.

You have 60 days from when you leave a company to get COBRA started.

When you leave a company, it is the EMPLOYERS choice how long to give you coverage for( before you need Cobra), NOT THE INSURANCE company.

So if you leave a job on June 15th. Some employers will give you coverage till the end of the month, some will give you 60 days, some will terminate your coverage at midnight the night you leave.

The insurer can do nothing about that.

Once the Cobra ends as well, the date the cobra ends is given to us by the employer. That is put on the system and only the ex employer can change it.

The way Cobra rates work as well is that you are paying the employer ( or thru a cobra company) the rate they were paying the insurer for your coverage plus up to a 2% fee if the employer chooses to charge you it.

Its basically allowing you to stay on at a group rate, versus the full cost of the policy .

Also keep in mind Cobra is for employers over 50 people ( employed) . If there is less then 50 people, they do not have to offer it.

Hope that helps ?!?!?

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Thanks Donna. DH's situation is a little different - he's not leaving the job. He's been on out on personal injury since Feb - they'll hold his job for two years - but insurance for only 6 mnths so it ends Aug 28th (mind you - we only found this out last week - they claimed they sent us stuff) That pizzes me off b/c if we were informed about it - I would have told my employer back in May that I wanted my insurance - then the three month wait would have taken us to Aug!!

Donna - so if we get one month of Cobra - from Aug 28 to Sept 28 - and mine will kick in for Oct 1 - will we be "safe" on the grace period for two days (barring nothing happens) - my concern is that the two days would not be considered a lapse and screw me.

Thanks so much for you expetise!!!

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We pay 700 a month, every month. It's so ridiculous as a small business.

Perhaps Family Health Plus is an option?

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Posted by mrswask

Thanks Donna. DH's situation is a little different - he's not leaving the job. He's been on out on personal injury since Feb - they'll hold his job for two years - but insurance for only 6 mnths so it ends Aug 28th (mind you - we only found this out last week - they claimed they sent us stuff) That pizzes me off b/c if we were informed about it - I would have told my employer back in May that I wanted my insurance - then the three month wait would have taken us to Aug!!

Donna - so if we get one month of Cobra - from Aug 28 to Sept 28 - and mine will kick in for Oct 1 - will we be "safe" on the grace period for two days (barring nothing happens) - my concern is that the two days would not be considered a lapse and screw me.

Thanks so much for you expetise!!!

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Donna, I read your reply.

The only point I disagree on is the # of employees at the company. It doesn't have to be 50

Federally, the count is 20.

Here's a link to the state requirements. I already clicked on NY (which is 2 employees)

State cobra regs

edited with federal info

Federal info

Message edited 7/28/2006 9:30:44 PM.

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Message edited 10/5/2006 4:33:18 PM.