I am recently unemployed and trying to get Cobra, help please

[Currently Unemployed]

I was recently let go thanks to the economy. It stinks out here on the east coast. I think the company I worked for may be trying to pull a fast one regarding Cobra.

It seems that they do not have the Cobra forms on hand and won't until it's perilously close to the end of the time to pay up or lose cobra. They are employing a company called Ceridian.

This is directly from the Ceridian site:

>To avoid non-compliance with the many regulations involved in COBRA administration, more employers are calling in >the experts for help. And the expert they often call is Ceridian, one of the largest COBRA administrators in the >country.

>"We have the policies and procedures in place to mitigate the risks for employers," said Jon Attwooll, product >manager for Benefits Continuation at Ceridian. "We do more than the law requires when it comes to things such as >sending monthly invoices. Yet our compliant processes follow the full letter of the law and have proven to reduce >COBRA populations and eventually save our clients money."

It seems that Ceridian tries to remove people from Cobra.

Do any of you have knowledge of this company or knowledge that could help me preserve my Cobra?
What step should I take next? Is there any way to prevent them from jacking around with the system? Do I need a Lawyer for this? In Virginia they are too expensive for me.

Currently Unemployed

[Muttocracy]

1. Check for info on state govmt website, e.g.,

http://www.scc.virginia.gov/division/boi/webpages/inspagedocs/keepinsurance.pdf

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. God help you. Cobra is so expensive that you probably won't want it anyway.

[notadmblnd]

3. I don't know anything about COBRA but here is a site that may help you

there's a whole section with printable forms. Maybe what you need is there?
http://www.discoverybenefits.com/forms.aspx

[beyurslf]

4. My BIL is being laid off this month. His cobra for the family is $1100 a month!

My sister said the gov't is paying 65% of it though so they are thinking about keeping it. Even with him laid off, they made too much to qualify for state support for their kids insurance.

[galileoreloaded]

13. Tell your family to lie about their income....

hell, if it is good enough for the Congress, and corporate executives, it's good enough for you. Don't be late to the party and be the only honest party trying to do whats right. Get your needs met. If you don't, no one else will.

I am dead serious by the way. No sarcasm tag intended, or implied.

Our guardian child, a ward of the state, was denied for health care. FVCK EM. He now has health care. Haul me in in front of my peers for fraud. I dare them to convict. If they do, they will all go home and be very ashamed of themselves.

The system is broken, the game is all that's left.

[Currently Unemployed]

5. Thanks for your help.

I'm going to check those places out. I'm still in the dark though, so if anyone has more help, I'm listening.

Currently Unemployed

[M0rpheus]

8. I work for a competitor of Cerridian...

What exactly are they doing?
Are you getting you bills late?
Are they making it difficult for you to pay for the coverage (not including the price)?

I wasn't sure from the post what the core issue is.

[dysfunctional press]

6. you generally have at least 90 days to sign up, iirc...and it's retroactive when you do-

i.e.- if you break your arm before you sign up, you're still covered as long as you sign up before the deadline. at least that's how it worked the last time i used it. i think most people wait until the deadline, just in case they get another job or other coverage in the meantime.
also- you might want to check to see if you can get private insurance that would be cheaper than your cobra costs might be- depending on your needs, insurance-wise.

[M0rpheus]

9. That's 60 days...

From the date of termination or when the data is received.

Companies can be more generous but they can do no less than 60 days.

[dysfunctional press]

11. it's been awhile since i used it...so some things may have changed as well.

and they usually change for the worse.

[M0rpheus]

15. You may not be wrong individually...

As your company may have been more generous than the law provides.
The actual COBRA law sets the enrollment time limit at 60 days.
The general trigger for pre-existing conditions is 62 days without coverage.

Advice for the OP: if the issue is the price, make sure you contact Ceridian and ask them about the COBRA subsidy from the stimulus package.
It would have been effective march 1 and subsidizes 65% of your COBRA cost for up to 9 months if you were involuntarily terminated from Sept through the end of this year. Ask specifically how this will be handled and when they expect to have the subsidy up and running, as most companies are scrambling to get it going.

You may have to pay full price for coverage prior to 3/1 but then you'll only pay 35% of the full COBRA cost for the next 9 months.

Additionally, if they are having issues getting you the proper documentation, make sure that you contact the administrator and ask when your election period expires. They are obligated to send the information promptly after being notified that you are eligible for COBRA. You may be able to push for more time if your being unable to enroll is their fault.

[ohheckyeah]

7. I highly recommend

you call an independent insurance agent. I have pre-existing conditions and a broker got me better coverage for $300 less than I had been paying.

Cobra is outrageously expensive and may not be the best way for you to go.

[Ichingcarpenter]

10. The insurer that you had before COBRA are the ones to call and talk to

Those are the ones that handle your COBRA.

You will get a round around for answers, but keep
talking to them you may find someone that might help
and show you the ropes you must climb.

I found it a nasty game, but with tenaciously you
can get results, but when I had a disease before hand
they cut me for pre-condition then the nightmare started.

I did get some help out of the system
but the cards are in the insurance companies hand. Find a
person that helps you then get her number and name and
only deal with them.

[WillowTree]

12. Contact Ceridian directly.

Ask them to send you enrollment forms. They should have them if they're the administrator for the plan. The only thing that you have to have from your former employer themselves is evidence that you have been enrolled in their health insurance plan and if you've already begun the enrollment process, you would probably be OK, even if your ex employer drags their feet. Also, ask Ceridian if the employer can provide a letter on letterhead or some other form of certification in lieu of a standardized form if the forms are unavailable to them.

If all else fails and it becomes apparent that the employer really is being uncooperative, get in touch with the Department of Insurance in your state. They should be willing to intervene or at least advise you as to what your options are.

Was the plan that your employer had self-funded or fully insured? Unless it was self-funded and you regularly have substantial medical expenses, they have little to gain from preventing you from exercising your COBRA priviledges.

Lastly, Ceridian has been the administrator for my FSA for a couple of years now and have had no problems with them at all for whatever that's worth.

[JimWis]

14. Cobra is the law. You have to be allowed to sign up for it if you

want to. For 18 months. You will have the same policy that you had under your employer. The only difference is that you have to pay the full amount, unlike before when your employer perhaps paid all or part of it. You are still in the group, and it may be cheaper than a policy on your own. Hard to say on that. If they don't let you sign up, contact your state insurance commissioner. It's their job to help you and enforce the law on this. I went on Cobra when I retired, and after the 18 months I had to get my own policy. The Cobra was cheaper because of the group rate. Perhaps you knew some of this, but if not, hope this helps.

[AbbeyRoad]

16. Your Cobra notification forms should come from Ceridian

Your employer has 30 days from when your qualifying event occurs to notify their group plan administrator that a Cobra notification needs to go out. The administrator then has 14 days to send out the notification forms to you. You can contact the HR department at your old job and ask if they've sent your information to Ceridian already. If they have, you can contact Ceridian directly about your forms. They'd probably be willing to mail or fax new ones to you. After you elect Cobra and make your first premium payment, you'll be reinstated retroactive to your cancellation date.

The new American Recovery and Reinvestment act is giving a 65% subsidy on Cobra premiums. Cobra for the most part is insanely expensive.

[Currently Unemployed]

17. Thanks to everybody for their input.

I'll hammer on the various things you have mentioned and let you know how it goes.

The expense is not too bad, now that the Fed's are paying 65% of the premium.

I just don't know the mechanics of how to enroll if my former employer is dragging their feet and whether or not there are tactics businesses use to shed people from Cobra. Ceridian prides itself on shedding people on Cobra. That line made me think hard about what is going on. Is it intentional? Who do I pay and when should I start.

I still have some time, but don't want to cut it too close.

Thanks again,

Recently Unemployed

[1]

18. question: if you do get cobra, and pay that exorbitant premium, and then get a job with benefits...

does cobra count as a continuation of your health care benefits?

or would the new job health care start playing the "pre-existing conditions" bullshit on you and start denying coverage for anything?

i don't know cobra. does anyone have experience with this?

[ThoughtCriminal]

19. Assuming that tour coverage was HIPAA(?) certified Group

it should count as continuation. I've never really looked at COBRA since the idea that we could afford it after a job loss was a complete fantasy.

[AbbeyRoad]

22. Yes, it is a continuation of benefits

When you leave Cobra, you can get a Certificate of Creditable Coverage as proof that your coverage was continous.

Cobra is basically a continuation of the benefits you had under your employer only you're picking up the entire tab.

[quiller4]

24. Cobra counts as continuation

with the Feb paying 65% is may be cheaper to stay on Cobra as long as you qualify. My sister continued to Cobra her previous employer's insurance throughout her probationary period at her new employer. It was a much better plan than her new employer offers.

My sister experienced no "pre-exiting condition bullshit". Her ongoing medical care was paid seamlessly and without question.

[omega minimo]

20. contact the state agency that can help you and get your issue on record, then follow up

[Lefta Dissenter]

21. My SO is using Ceridian

I don't specifically remember the enrollment process, because it was about a year ago, but I do remember that there were delays in working through the ex-employer. Once it got going, it was ok enough. HOWEVER, the bills DO come out with only a few days in which to pay. What I did was pay two payments up front, so we were a month ahead. So now each month we get a bill that shows a zero balance, so I go ahead and pay the next month's payment. They don't allow electronic payments... I mean who doesn't use electronic payments these days??? :shrug: I've always felt that they wanted people to slip up, and if we were a day late, we'd lose coverage.

One other thing - as SOON as the policy was in place, we received a notice that is supposed to be delivered at the END of the coverage period. Something like, "as of such-and-such a date, my coverage will end." We had to sign and send it back. I think they do that because if they don't provide proper notice of the end of the coverage period, then they have to keep you until you've had adequate notice. So they provide the notice at the beginning of the frickin' 18 months. What a crock.

OK, I've had two glasses of wine, so this may not be as coherent as it should be, but there ya go anyway.

GOOD LUCK!

[nilram]

23. send certified letters to both Ceridian and your employer

telling them that you wish to enroll in Cobra, perhaps even giving them self-addressed, stamped envelopes to send the forms in. Perhaps even taking such a letter to your former company's HR department in person.


From http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq_consumer_cobra.HTML
--------------
What process must individuals follow to elect COBRA continuation coverage?
Employers must notify plan administrators of a qualifying event within 30 days after an employee's death, termination, reduced hours of employment or entitlement to Medicare.

A qualified beneficiary must notify the plan administrator of a qualifying event within 60 days after divorce or legal separation or a child's ceasing to be covered as a dependent under plan rules.

Plan participants and beneficiaries generally must be sent an election notice not later than 14 days after the plan administrator receives notice that a qualifying event has occurred. The individual then has 60 days to decide whether to elect COBRA continuation coverage. The person has 45 days after electing coverage to pay the initial premium.
--------------

[soothsayer]

25. i think under a new law your employer has to keep contributing to your benefits

for 9 months

but I'm not sure

i need to find out myself

i'm in the same boat