His company lied, and it may cost us insurance. Are they liable?

[CourtClerk]

Where did you get the information that you don't qualify for Medi-Cal at all? That isn't the impression that I'm getting from the web site. Pregnant women can have higher income limits and still qualify, and if your income is STILL too high then you should be able to get a cost-sharing program so that you can have affordable coverage.

Ecm...let me just tell you from working at DPSS, the share of costs are NOT affordable. In fact, in many instances, it's cheaper to purchase private insurance.

 

[ecmst12]

Man, they really make it sound like it's easy for pregnant women to qualify, too. It's a real shame.

 

[CourtClerk]

Man, they really make it sound like it's easy for pregnant women to qualify, too. It's a real shame.

Honestly? If this was a single pregnant woman, she would probably qualify no problem. Her issue is that her and her boyfriend want to play house and she only wants to make him responsible when it's convenient to her, and let ME pay for the cost of the medical care for herself and her child. I don't see how that is fair. When I chose to have a baby, I chose the responsibility. Even those I found too expensive.

I'll tell you. I had a lady on my case load (this was years ago before Healthy Families as well) who no longer qualified for traditional medi-cal. She had a share of cost (for just herself and child) of $600 per month before the state would pay the bills. Steep? You bet. But how many of us have a medical insurance program that you pay:

zero for office visits
zero for prescriptions
zero for labs
zero for radiology
zero for specialists
zero for dental
zero for orthodontics

zero for.... anything medical/dental related and you could pick your provider. Large HMO or private practice so long as they accepted.

Fortunately for her (or unfortunately), she ended up losing her job a few months after getting it and was put back on traditional medi-cal.

 

[ecmst12]

$600 per month they could probably afford. It's the $2000 per month for Cobra that's a hardship.

 

[spallanzani]

If the most evidence you have that the transfer was 'going through' was an email saying they were working on it, my hunch (as a non-lawyer) is that you're on thin ice trying to use the courts to force a transfer. Hindsight is 20/20 but it was really foolish for you to commit to moving until you had the transfer approved in writing and the new location confirmed his position. Threatening to sue isn't likely to do much aside from get him fired.

Do you have any friends in your current area who would let you stay until the baby is born? I know it's a lot to ask for somebody to put you up at the end of your pregnancy and when you have a newborn, but if your husband's insurance only covers local providers, and there is no way to get affordable coverage where you wanted to move, find a way to stay where you are even if it means breaking your new lease or paying rent on the new place until the baby is born and able to travel.