How fast can you pick up spouse's insurance once you've lost your job?

I am an utter mess. Looks like my family insurance will be canceled this Friday. My husband's job can pick up insurance due to loss of my job, but how fast? Even if we filled out paperwork tomorrow, can it actually be done by Saturday? I am scared to death of something happening during a lag.

Has this happened to anybody? How fast does it go? Anybody in HR have comforting words?

Re: How fast can you pick up spouse's insurance once you've lost your job?

I lost my job in August, my benefits went through the end of the month and we were able to pick up insurance through DH for the 1st of the new month.

So sorry you are going through this

Re: How fast can you pick up spouse's insurance once you've lost your job?

I believe it can go into effect right away. Granted, you won't be in the system, they will cover you as of the date you get lost. I would call ASAP to arrange for coverage to start. They are gonna need paper work to establish that you have a change from your insurance company. As long as you submit everything ontime, you really should have no worries.

Re: How fast can you pick up spouse's insurance once you've lost your job?

Posted by CrankyPants

I lost my job in August, my benefits went through the end of the month and we were able to pick up insurance through DH for the 1st of the new month.

So sorry you are going through this

Re: How fast can you pick up spouse's insurance once you've lost your job?

Re: How fast can you pick up spouse's insurance once you've lost your job?

Kelly, I'm so sorry

FM Nrthshgrl (Barb). She might know.

I hope you get an answer soon. Stressful enough to loose your job w/o having to also worry about this

Re: How fast can you pick up spouse's insurance once you've lost your job?

Sorry about your job

They have to offer you cobra, and you don't have to decide on COBRA today either, wait to find out when the start date is for DH's insurance. It shouldn't be long because it's a qualifying event. I don't know the exact rules of what the start date can be though. I know for adoption/birth it's date of birth, so it may be the date of your termination. Don't let anyone feed you any BS about preexisting coverage either, so long as your insurance doesn't lapse for over 63 days and you had insurance for 2 years, pre existing clauses don't matter.

Don't panic (or try not to), you have a little bit of time. They can put the change in today and it may show that you don't have coverage on an eligibility check but most Dr's/Hosps will still bill you at or file for you to Cobra/new insurance. Your DH's plan should backdate your enrollment date to the date of eligibility and the dr's etc can then file their claims.

try not to worry. It'll work itself out in the end

Message edited 9/26/2011 10:53:05 PM.

Re: How fast can you pick up spouse's insurance once you've lost your job?

Termination of coverage is a qualifying event so there shouldnt be a problem. Even if you have an emergency, god forbid, coverage should be retro'ed to the date you apply. Get that termination letter asap and have ur dh call hr.

Re: How fast can you pick up spouse's insurance once you've lost your job?

As the other girls said, it should be considered a qualifying event. Is there an on line system where your DH can enroll? Some companies even have cards you can print out on your office computer so you have something temporary before you receive your official cards.

Re: How fast can you pick up spouse's insurance once you've lost your job?

Your husband's firm should be able to cover you as of 10/1 even if paperwork is submitted after the fact.

Our HR team is able to do same day processing of paperwork so while you won't have cards for 5-7 days you can still be covered in less than a day. Temp cards can even be printed off web for emergency visits.

Re: How fast can you pick up spouse's insurance once you've lost your job?

Posted by waterspout4

Posted by CrankyPants

I lost my job in August, my benefits went through the end of the month and we were able to pick up insurance through DH for the 1st of the new month.

So sorry you are going through this

I am scared of this happening so late in the month. Yes, benefits go to the end of the month. But it's the 26th already. By the time all this is happening, DH couldn't get hold of anyone at his office. So we can't even do anything til the 27th. This doesn't seem fair to do it so flipping quickly.

I'm sorry you lost your job too.