COBRA? WTH!

[C Moon]

Anyone have any experience with COBRA?
We paid over $800 into COBRA for the month of March (after a layoff) and are supposed to be covered for March.
I went to Kaiser, and they said our membership (which I've been on for over 20 years before this job loss), was no longer valid.
I called Kaiser customer service, and they said they have no information from the employer that we've paid into COBRA.
Is this how it goes? I mean, WTF? You paid hundreds of dollars and you don't get coverage because your previous employer is dragging their feet?
No wonder Reagan signed it into law.

[pnwest]

1. Yes - that happens with Cobra ALL the time,

it's kinda their M.O. Abd if you continue it, make sure that money is there on time or they'll cancel in a heartbeat. Go after them, get proof from your employer that they paid, keep after them and submit the claim for reimbursement. Do not let up, and eventually you'll prevail, but they make it an extreme pain in the ass.

[dchill]

2. Reagan signed it into law.

There's your sign.

[still_one]

7. COBRA was introduced by the Democratic Congress and signed by Reagan. At the time COBRA helped a

lot of people who lost their jobs and found out they had no insurance. It both they time to find another job. The disadvantage was the premiums could get pretty expensive. Some companies covered the complete cost of COBRA, or split the cost, butter some they assumed the full cost

[Wellstone ruled]

3. OH YES,keep those dollars a comin.

You are getting by cheap. Cost my Spouse and I 32k for 18 months. Kicker was,the Damn Insurance was not excepted in our new State.

[still_one]

4. COBRA can take a few weeks to kick in. You should be covered though. Many

companies outsource their COBRA to a third party, either way HR should have the contact information, and they should have sent you a new card under COBRA.

As long as you are sure you are covered under COBRA any incurred Medical expenses will be reimbursed

[radical noodle]

5. I know very little about it and that just due

to having worked for corporations that had health benefits. If you paid the premium required (which is not the normal payment when you were employed), you should be covered. Sounds like something is wrong.

I did find these sites with info. I think I would first call the health insurance company that covers you and find out what is going on.

http://www.cobrainsurance.com/know_your_cobra.htm

This one is for the businesses, but it still has good info:
http://www.bizfilings.com/toolkit/sbg/office-hr/managing-the-workplace/cobra-benefits-what-employers-need-to-know.aspx

Good luck!

[rufus dog]

6. Just got ours back with Kaiser

Cluster all the way around. Took about 5 days to get it cleared and an email sent to Kaiser then another week and a half to get Kaiser to process the paperwork.

[C Moon]

8. Thanks everyone! I'll look into these suggestions. It's very fruckstrating...

You pay money, and are told you don't have the service.
Hope to find a job with benefits soon. :/

[7wo7rees]

10. We could tell many harrowing tales! Just call it COBRA HELL!

Starting in Sept last year, paid 1500 per month for 3 months to keep employer ins. Finally gave it up. Every day, every Drs appts, every hospital visit, every trip to the pharmacy was hell.
Records not updated, showing we were not covered when we were. Just hell.
You just have to keep making calls. Most helpful for us was an advocate at hospital. UT Southwestern.
Good luck.

[pnwmom]

11. I suggest you get something in writing from your employer and then FAX it to Kaiser,

and then call them to discuss.

[jeanmarc]

12. COBRA is awful and it's no alternative

I've always gone with catastrophic insurance during unemployment. The Cobra alternative is more than a house and car payment together.