Screwed by Covered* California (ACA/Obamacare)

[KamaAina]

I got canned last Wednesday. As of next Friday I will be uninsured. So I try to sign up for Medi-Cal (our Medicaid) -- only to learn that I cannot do so until next month, because I have income for this month. And when I do this, the coverage will not start until August. So if anything happens to me before then...

[merrily]

2. COBRA. I am so sorry you lost your job.

[haele]

3. Had to go on COBRA this month.

Changed employers on the 4th, had to wait until July 1st for the new insurance to kick in. Lucky we got all the husband's meds on a three month schedule that was sent out last month, so he won't run out before then.
But you have 45 days to sign up for COBRA - which will retroactively cover you to the date you lost your old insurance if you need it between now and your next job or when you become available for Medi-Cal. And COBRA includes coverage for any dental or vision you had before, also. Since the new dental plan doesn't start until October, I'm going to sign up for Dental only until it kicks in.
Even though COBRA premium are going to suck; twice what the old premium was to cover what your last employer no longer covers. So for the family dental gap coverage, I need to come up with $215 a month. With a dependent scheduled for her braces removal and a root canal next month, and I'm feeling a cavity coming in myself, its the difference between coming up with $600 over three months, or coming up with around $2k - $3k.

The only good part of COBRA is that if you've met your deductable or got to the "out of pocket" max before going on COBRA, all that is supposed to transfer over. You can also use an HSA to help pay part of the premium if you have one and you need gap coverage.

Haele

[KK9]

4. Sorry about your job :(

The insurance issue will be OK, though.

Yes, you use COBRA to fill the gap and it doesn't have to cost you money. Even if you work for a small employer, like we do here in Mass, California has a "Mini COBRA" law, where employers with between 2-19 employees are required to offer COBRA continuation of coverage.

Here is what you do:

1) Get the COBRA election form from your employer
2) You have 60 days from the date they send you the form to make the election
4) Once you make the election, you have 45 days to pay the premium
5) Once you pay any back premiums, you have coverage RETROACTIVELY to the date you lost your coverage

So, 105 days from the date you are sent the election form, which is more than enough to get you through until August.

What I've done in this situation is to fill out and sign the election form and write a check for the premium(s) and tell someone I trust where I'm keeping it. That way, if I get hit by a car or have some other medical disaster and am unable to make the election myself, my "assistant" will mail it in, securing me the retroactive coverage so that any bills get paid by insurance.

The only catch is hanging onto enough money to pay the premiums when you've just lost your job...but it's better than going entirely uninsured or actually paying those expensive COBRA premiums when you can least afford it. The chances you will need to use the coverage between now and August are slim, so it's highly like you can both make sure any bills will be covered AND avoid paying those COBRA premiums.

If you have a minor health issue between now and August, it's a math exercise, will the bill be more or less than the COBRA premium?

[KamaAina]

5. COBRA not going to happen. Nearly $1000 a month!