FYI: The COBRA reduction has been extended from 9 months to 15 months. I was told I could even reinstate COBRA w/ reduction after cancelling it last week, effective end of nine months, because it was too expensive w/o the reduction. It was all for naught for me, though; I'm elegible under my wife's plan now (open enrollment) which I'm not going to take because it's as expensive as the COBRA w/o the reduction. If you become eligible under another "group health plan" you can't get COBRA. /way to go lawmakers passing the act Dec. 19th, months after some people's reduction had run out. (It is retroactive) //didn't hear a darn thing about it on the news. http://www.dol.gov/cobra
There probably will be lots of these types of situations to arise. No one really knows what is in any resolution anymore until it's signed, sealed and made into law. It will be interesting to see how everything plays out once it's forced upon all of us.
Thank you for that!!:hurray: I was wondering myself if it had passed cause my dh's cobra would've run out in April and I was starting to get worried about what we would do? :cry: Seems like they woulda sent something out to those currently enrolled or something! :banghead:
They are supposed to send something out in the next 60 days per Dept. of Labor. /On the good side: Congress forgot to extend the estate tax. So keep grandma alive at least until January 1st. Can increase your inheritance by twice. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126213588339309657.html?mod=WSJ_hps_LEFTWhatsNews
When my son's COBRA ran out last month we went to Farm Bureau and we got an excellent policy for 1/2 of what he was paying on Cobra! He isn't high risk or pre existing and had nothing attached to him so maybe that was the reason for the great rate.
Last two quotes I tried to get on my own: BCBS: $1,800 / month Other: We cannot provide you coverage.
I about fell out when my aunt told me over Christmas that their policy was going up to $2300 a month for two people. They both have some health issues, but #$%^! They are dairy farmers, so it isn't COBRA related, but I still wish there was an answer for them. They can't afford it, plain and simple.
Yep, around $1000 w/ BCBS for our family to covered. plus dd has a pre-existing condition, so we would probably have a hard tme finding anyone else to cover her.
I'm thankful for the extention, my federally assisted COBRA would end in Feb. otherwise. I could switch to DH's health insurance plan, and it is actually $15 a month less, but I have better deductibles and co-pays, and $15 isn't really worth the hassle of changing everything to a new plan if I don't have to.
OMG, that much for health insurance, That is absurd! I guess we will not see retirement in our future. Need to work just for the health benefits alone. We come with lots of ailments!
Being facetious about others misfortune takes no thought on your part, does it? One can only hope that one day you're, unemployed, uninsured, and given the same consideration.
Does anyone know if the reduction in COBRA rates (employer pays 65% employee pays 35%) only applies if you were laid off from your job vs. fired? If you were fired, do you have to pay the full normal COBRA rate? Not asking for me but someone else who worked for a small privately owned company and may get taken advantage of because they don't want to even offer the COBRA (which is mandatory I believe).
Luvgoose - Legally, COBRA doesn't have to be offered to someone who was fired. I believe the COBRA regs say specifically - fired for misconduct.
Here is a FAQ sheet for Cobra http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq_consumer_cobra.html Here is a link to the Cobra Continuation Coverage Assistance program http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/COBRA.html Maybe you can find some answers for your friend in these links. I don't know how big a company your friend works for, but there have to be atleast 20 employees in the previous year for the employer to be required to offer Cobra. "COBRA generally requires that group health plans sponsored by employers with 20 or more employees in the prior year offer employees and their families the opportunity for a temporary extension of health coverage (called continuation coverage) in certain instances where coverage under the plan would otherwise end." http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/health-plans/cobra.htm
Here's the news article. They're a little late to the game... COBRA is only for those "involuntarily terminated." http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2010/01/04/daily19.html
