COBRA rights

[cobraconfused]

What is the name of your state? What is the name of your state? New York

I'm paying COBRA, but I don't have insurance!

I quit my job in August and began paying COBRA immediately to continue my insurance coverage. My former employer uses a third party employer group to handle their HR, including health insurance, so I have been sending the fees directly to the third party employer group as required. Further, I have copies of the cancelled checks from my monthly bank statements to verify they have received and cashed the checks (on time). However, I recently discovered that my insurance was terminated at the end of August.

I've called both the insurance company and the employer group and have not been able to get any solid answers. No one has taken responsibility for dropping the ball, I have not received a refund check for services NOT rendered and I still do not have insurance. I know by law, I have a right to COBRA, but by practice, I have nothing. I'd like my money back for services not rendered and begin paying COBRA rates for insurance going forward. Or more realistically, a guarantee that if I pay my COBRA, I have insurance. I don't know how to proceed. Any suggestions or advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance!

 

[CIAA]

cobraconfused ,

When you say that, "No one has taken responsibility for dropping the ball", it sounds as if they admit there was mistake.

No, you can not stop and then restart coverage.

Your guarantee, if we can call it that, lies with the COBRA regs and the US Dept. of Labor

Continue to pay your premiums on time or you will find yourself without coverage.

Keep working with your HR dept. and your plan adminidtrator.

 

[lkc15507]

I just want to add a couple of things. I got the feeling from your post that perhaps medical services had been rendered during this time frame that the coverage was reflected as 'terminated'. If that is the case, once you straighten this out, if indeed their error and not a valid reason for termination of COBRA (there are some), charges for those services should be considered for reimbursement. You were either covered or not. It sounds as though you were. And, as CIAA said, the important thing is to keep paying the premiums! There is no stopping and restarting the COBRA coverage. COBRA begins when you ceased to be effective under the employer plan.

Best of luck to you.