Question about benefits stopping after termination...

[Mike Groaning]

What is the name of your state? Minnesota

Hi all. My last day of work will be on October 4th. I resigned in accordance to company policy. Today I received a letter from HR saying my health care benefits would be stopping on September 30th.

It was my understanding that insurance benefits would stop at the last month of employment, at which time you can elect COBRA. Is this not some sort of law?

Thanks all! I hope I provided enough info to get some feedback before Monday (when I can scour the HI policy myself)

 

[moburkes]

What is the name of your state? Minnesota

Hi all. My last day of work will be on October 4th. I resigned in accordance to company policy. Today I received a letter from HR saying my health care benefits would be stopping on September 30th.

It was my understanding that insurance benefits would stop at the last month of employment, at which time you can elect COBRA. Is this not some sort of law?

Thanks all! I hope I provided enough info to get some feedback before Monday (when I can scour the HI policy myself)

If that is their policy, it appears that your last paycheck will only cover benefits to the end of September. COBRA will continue as long as you pay for it, so there really is no issue.

 

[cbg]

The only state that mandates how benefits will continue after the end of employment is Texas. In all other states, it is up to the employer/the insurance contract that determines how long, if at all, benefits continue after employment ends.

 

[ecmst12]

But can they discontinue benefits BEFORE employment ends? I didn't think "employee is ABOUT to leave the company" was a valid qualifying event...

 

[moburkes]

He told them when his last day would be. It appears that they collect the employee's portion in arrears, so, his last check will only cover insurance through September.

 

[cbg]

If the insurance contract allows for it, yes they can. There is nothing in the law that prohibits stopping benefits before the last day of employment. It's entirely dependent on what the insurance policy says.

 

[>Charlotte<]

Are you sure it's COBRA? COBRA doesn't apply to businesses under a certain amount of employees. In NC the alternate program is called State Continuation. There are differences, some of which are how far out the deadline for election extends, the length of time benefits can be continued, and how benefits are retroactive after election.

You should consider my input only more questions you should ask, not actual facts. Everything I know about COBRA is applicable to NC, not Minnesota, and I learned it in about two and a half hours last Friday. I just think you should make sure it is COBRA, and not the other because there are differences--which would vary, I assume, from state to state.

CBG--any input?

 

[Mike Groaning]

COBRA will continue as long as you pay for it, so there really is no issue.

Well, the issue would be that COBRA coverage would cost me over 2 1/2 times more than my usual insurance deductions. It isn't like I'm just worried about having to fill out paperwork.

I never said it was their policy; I asked what the law dictated.

Thanks to cbg for providing the legal feedback. I know the payments aren't payed in arrears, because they started taking money during the same pay period that my benefits started. I'm going to look into my policy when I get in on Monday. Thanks again.

 

[moburkes]

Well, the issue would be that COBRA coverage would cost me over 2 1/2 times more than my usual insurance deductions. It isn't like I'm just worried about having to fill out paperwork.

I never said it was their policy; I asked what the law dictated.

Thanks to everyone who provided legal feedback.

No, it is not a law.

 

[Mike Groaning]

No, it is not a law.

Yeah, cbg already answered it, so there really is no question.

 

[moburkes]

Yeah, cbg already answered it, so there really is no question.

You deleted the rest of what you wrote, but I actually answered your question in my first post. No post counting. Stay around long enough, and you'll realize that only new people keep track of how many posts people have. The rest of us could care less. I only *think* about it when someone else mentions it, and rarely look at it.

 

[Mike Groaning]

Are you sure it's COBRA? COBRA doesn't apply to businesses under a certain amount of employees. In NC the alternate program is called State Continuation. There are differences, some of which are how far out the deadline for election extends, the length of time benefits can be continued, and how benefits are retroactive after election.

You should consider my input only more questions you should ask, not actual facts. Everything I know about COBRA is applicable to NC, not Minnesota, and I learned it in about two and a half hours last Friday. I just think you should make sure it is COBRA, and not the other because there are differences--which would vary, I assume, from state to state.

No, it'll definitely be COBRA - that was made clear in the letter that informed me of when benefits would stop.

I'm pretty stoked to get in on Monday and read up, because I'm mostly positive that its written somewhere in either policy that benefits continue through the last month of a qualifying event. Another reason I think this is that when my wife had our child, they told me that the child would be put on at birth, but my wife's coverage wouldn't start until the month following the birth.

If my benefits do stop 9/30, I can't start benefits with the new place until 12/1. COBRA is probably out of our price range, but we would be covered. 2 months is a long time, and we can use walk-ins for small stuff; however, something major and we'd be wiping out. This is probably something others have faced before, but I'm definitely seeing the connection between insurance & gambling.

I'm going to put reflectors all over my car and drive really slowly coming home tonight. At least I can do that much.

 

[Mike Groaning]

Like my parents once said, &quot;Sorry you had to see that.&quot;

You deleted the rest of what you wrote, but I actually answered your question in my first post. No post counting. Stay around long enough, and you'll realize that only new people keep track of how many posts people have. The rest of us could care less. I only *think* about it when someone else mentions it, and rarely look at it.

It's not like I asked that because it made me feel like a big man, but after reading it I realized it came off as small and petty. Asking you if you were post padding, was a reaction to me questioning if you were being glib or actually trying to provide advice. It was deleted because I quickly realized I didn't care, and that I didn't want to make offense to you, because either way, you were probably in good spirits and meaning no offense yourself.

I haven't noticed your post count. It could be in the hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands for all I know. Admittedly though, I have noticed that you are present in many of the threads. I'm pretty well familiar with bulletin board ethos. vBulletin isn't exactly novel to me. There's a bb where I'm present in many of the threads, never ill-willed, but sometimes a bit glib.

 

[Mike Groaning]

Here's a question:

I'm able to elect coverage for COBRA through 11/24.... Right. So am I quarantined by law that they will allow me to pick up COBRA on 11/23? Since it is a continuation of coverage and not new coverage, they wouldn't be allowed to deny because of pre-existing conditions -- right?

So could I feasibly only have to gamble on not having health insurance from 11/24 - 12/1??? I mean, could I still sign up for COBRA if something happens during that grace period? If so, that would really work out well. It seems too sneaky to actually work that way, but I think it would - What's the verdict?

 

[pattytx]

Pre-existing conditions are not applicable, since you are not getting NEW insurance, you're just continuing your old insurance at the full cost.

Why only through November 23?