One for the insurance gurus...

[Burrito]

Hey all -

Recently I had the opportunity to return to New England and go mainline, so I jumped all over it. My new company's been nothing but wonderful so far, with plenty of room to move up when I do eventually start moving again. Here's my conundrum:

My previous employer dropped my healthcare coverage on 11/1 (left their employ 10/15). I was hired by the new company 10/19, but their benefits won't kick in until "a 30 day period at the start of the next month." That means no coverage until 12/1. All sounds good to me, except I developed a massive kidney stone which resulted in two hospital overnights thus far, and a surgery shortly, from 11/12-11/16 and ongoing.

I called the People Department to see if they'd push my coverage any quicker but didn't have any luck. Further, a call to BCBS won't do any good without an acct. number. So...

- Does anyone have any experience like this?
- Will BCBS possibly backdate my claims, to save me from $$,$$$.$$?

...or am I solely relying on state assistance...and might just have to eat this?

 

[drunkenbeagle]

- Does anyone have any experience like this?
- Will BCBS possibly backdate my claims, to save me from $$,$$$.$$?

...or am I solely relying on state assistance...and might just have to eat this?

See if you are eligible for COBRA. Expensive, but it is kind of your only option. It would be retroactive to when your employer terminated your coverage, unless you haven't waived it already. When I was eligible for it, it took a few months for my former employer to get the paperwork done. You only need until until your new coverage stats, so it shouldn't be that bad.

 

[NickH]

COBRA is indeed the answer you seek. With a voluntary termination of employment, you are still eligible, and have 60 days after your employment ended to elect to continue coverage.

 

[Burrito]

Okay. I applied for something state-related in Massachusetts, but nothing I saw said COBRA. I'll go digging - I thankfully have the next two day off.

 

[drunkenbeagle]

Okay. I applied for something state-related in Massachusetts, but nothing I saw said COBRA. I'll go digging - I thankfully have the next two day off.

It would come from your former employer. They legally have to send you notice about it, but they have up to 30 days to do so. So you may not see it until the first week of December that you get a notice from them. Basically, you pay the premium then, and you will then have retroactive coverage to your termination date.

 

[Roger Roger]

Not a guru but this is exactly what COBRA is designed for.