Need Your Opinion - Work/Insurance Issue

Re: Need Your Opinion - Work/Insurance Issue

• MommyRutledge member

  September 2013

  I'm confused about why you'd have to quit your job completely?!? I don't blame you for not wanting to quit. I wouldn't want to quit a job I loved either. Is it just a matter of losing your insurance? Are you taking maternity leave? Do you know for sure that your insurance will cancel on that date or does it cancel at the end of the month? (Often you've paid premiums in advance) you also have rights under FMLA if you qualify.... And worse case scenario, you can continue your coverage under Cobra. It's generally very expensive, but would allow you to keep insurance for the extra needed time. What about DH's insurance? If you lose coverage, it's a qualifying event and DH can change his enrollment choices. Just throwing out everything I can think of since I'm not clear on your situation!

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• rachelstauf member

  September 2013

  I had a similar situation today, though it didn't involve quitting my job. I had to decide between inducing on Saturday morning (instead of Monday) and being able to get LO on the insurance or wait until Monday and not be able to get him on until January. I decided to go in on Saturday and be induced, though I really didn't want to.
  
  If I were you, I'd make sure you still have insurance no matter how you have to do that. Would your insurance run out the day that change is made or do you have until the end of the month? Definitely check into that! Good luck whatever you choose, it's a hard decision!
  

  
  

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• cbbfish member

  September 2013

  I know it's confusing - sorry! If I went part time now I would have no health insurance. DH's employer won't provide insurance until they receive documentation that my coverage has ended.  Coverage will end on my last day as a FT employee and I won't qualify for COBRA because I will still be employed.  I will be using FMLA but it doesn't really have anything to do with insurance.

  
  

  I would have to quit during/after leave if the baby were late just to have the hospital stay covered. We don't want to send the baby to daycare.

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• rachelstauf member

  September 2013

  Loppy19 said:

  Usually insurance policies end at the end of the month because you would have paid your premium that far out.

  Have you double checked this, because this is what I thought as well.
  

  
  

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• notapastasauce member

  September 2013

  Can't you use FMLA and stay on officially as full-time (but on FMLA) for the 12 weeks, giving yourself more time to find another part-time job with insurance or quit and be eligible for COBRA after that?

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• AnjaO member

  September 2013

  After re-reading your post, I think I am understanding that you're switching to part-time while on maternity leave because if you don't, you won't be able to be part-time, as that's no longer an option with your employer?

  
  

  Although it may take several months to get straightened out, if you get on your husband's insurance, it should be retroactive to the first day you're not covered by your insurance, so you won't have a gap.  If it makes the most sense for your family for you to stay working part-time for your company, I would talk to HR or whomever deals with insurance at your employer and get started on the insurance termination paperwork so that you can get proof of loss of coverage ASAP.  It won't affect your coverage, but might move things along faster so you won't be in limbo as long and have to constantly explain that to medical offices.

  
  

  BFP #1 8/14/10, DS born 4/30/11 
  

  BFP #2 9/30/12, M/C 10/23/12 

  BFP #3 12/16/12, CP 12/20/12 

  BFP #4 1/20/13, DD born 10/9/13

  
  

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• cbbfish member

  September 2013

  Yes - I have confirmed that my coverage will end the day my job status changes not at the end of the month. If it did, that would make life too easy right?

  
  

  notapasta - I could do that but I don't want to leave the job I love. It may come down to that though. 

  
  

  Anna - yes! Unfortunately if I don't go PT before Oct 7th, I'll have to quit my job or work FT which isn't an option. I've gotten the paperwork process as far as I can take it. DH's employer won't activate insurance until they get a letter from my employer stating coverage has ceased. And my employer won't provide that letter until coverage has actually ceased, not before.  I will check with DH's insurance about retroactivity - that would be a godsend. I was told new coverage wouldn't start til Nov. 1st. Hopefully they were wrong.

  
  

  Rachel - that's crazy! Thanks for your post. Glad I'm not the only one having to make medical decisions based on insurance.

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• RunningGal900 member

  September 2013

  I'd think COBRA would be an option for you. If I recall, you have two months to sign up and it is retroactive to the day you lost your previous coverage. So you wouldn't have to start until you know if you need it. If you deliver before you lost your insurance, then you'd be covered and having the baby is a qualifying life even that gets you on yor husvand's insurance plan. Actually, I think just you losing coverage is a qualifying life event that should get your on your husband's plan as well.

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• charpe member

  September 2013

  Also look into private health insurance, I'm not sure how it works, but a friend recently did this, and found it to be much cheaper than cobra. Definitely worth researching.

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• cbbfish member

  September 2013

  I wouldn't qualify for COBRA because I would still be employed and willingly taking less hours.  Getting added to my husband's plan isn't the problem. It's the timing. There will be a 3 week gap in coverage.

  
  

  Private insurance will not pickup pregnant women. I have to wait 30 days after the birth to enroll in a private plan, which is what we'll do ASAP. Basically DH's coverage will be for one month. It's terribly expensive and not good coverage at all.

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