Unisurable after OHS??????

[azpam]

unfortunately i think this problem is more widespread than people think. my brother in georgia had the same situation after his prostate surgery.he was off for about 8 wks recovering. went back to work and they "laid him off". what "perfect" timing huh? how do you prove it!

 

[Lisa in Katy]

It depends on your state and the size of the company you are working for. In Texas, if the company has 50+ employees, they can't deny anyone coverage because of pre-existing conditions. With less than 50 employees, they can deny coverage, and probably will. I was denied coverage prior to my OHS because I'd had Rheumatic Fever with heart damage, and they didn't even bother to check into the extent of the heart damage. It's also very expensive to get life insurance - 5 times as much as my husband for half the coverage. There was a pool that covered catastrophic care, but when I checked into it, it was very expensive and didn't offer much coverage. That was 15 years ago, so I'm not sure what's out there now. I figure as long as I'm a teacher, I can get coverage, and when I retire, I'll get SS. My suggestion, keep your COBRA and only interview with large companies if at all possible.

 

[Guest]

*shrieks*

The more I read/hear about medical coverage issues ... the more frightened/concerned/unnerved/nervous I become....

Patty,
I'm glad you posted that about COBRA. That certainly eases my fears a tad...course, now, I better get my old COBRA canceled pronto ... and get the cards/info for my new coverage equally as pronto ... or I may be in trouble . Aye.

Sure hope PamO sees this thread soon ... and can shed some light for us, perhaps....

 

[carista]

Here is a link that brings you to a site where you can choose your state and find out what special programs and what regulations apply in your state.

http://www.medhealthinsurance.com/allstates.htm

Carista

 

[baldstuart]

Well first let me start off with some answers to your questions. No I was not under FMLA I was 8 days short, But I was covered under the company benefits for temporary disability for 6 weeks at 100% pay and for another 6 weeks if needed at 60% of my pay. I only took 6 weeks and returned with a doctors okay. Had I known I would be canned I would of taken the next 6 weeks and looked for work. I am continuing my COBRA. And the insurance covered everything and continued until I was let go. The company I worked for is a very Large Corp. They knew of my pending surgery when they hired me in Jan 2005. I am sure I was an easy target and they haven't looked at the big picture. I will be contacting the Labor Commission and I will be filing a complaint. You know when they let me go I never signed anything except a form stating that I had turned in all expenses, laptop and keys. Nothing else was given to me.

 

[baldstuart]

I would definitely talk to your Labor Board pronto. You were fired for having surgery, no if ands or butts about it.

Not sure what you mean about 8 days short? You hadn't worked a complete year (2080 hours)????

No I had not worked a completle year. I hadn't been at the job long enough to qualify for Flma. I was hired in Jan and had surgery in July. I had previously worked for this company for 7 years, left for 3 years, then came back in Jan 2005. I did have disabilty available thru my benifits package from my employer.So that's what I used. Thanks so much for your insight and I WILL be contacting the labor board tomorrow!

 

[Guest]

PamO,

So glad you saw this thread ... and helped with your knowledge/words.

But...with regard to my situation, am I going to be "in trouble" for having both the COBRA coverage in force with the old company...and the new coverage in force with the new company?

I'm so confused/frustrated/concerned it's not even funny....

On top of this, with trying to see about that job without health coverage...I'm _very_ unhappy/upset/mad that companies can limit you for pre-existing conditions (with regard to individual policies), even though you've had continuous coverage

Aye.

It's never easy, is it?


Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker
MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
chdQB = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/quilt.html
"I can?t take anymore" ... 3rd Eye Blind ... 'How's It Going To Be'

 

[Guest]

*sighs*

So much work ... so little time. Sometimes, I wonder if I'll have the energy just to investigate my options...lol.

But, seriously, PamO, thank you ... I'll plan to cancel COBRA sometime this week ... and make sure that I can get it again if I do quit my current job.

And, soon, I'll check out those companies ... and see what I can find out. I just hope I don't keep hitting brick walls ... because I really want this job ... I just need to get the health insurance coverage to work.

Sure would be nice if there was a "help desk" for this stuff ... or, an assistant would be nice, too...he he he.

*chuckles*

Course, a friend of mine told me today that perhaps I'd be less "stressed" if I had a gf. Rrrriiiiggghhhttt.....

 

[baldstuart]

Total BS

Total BS

Well folks,
Looks as though we will be engaging the services of an attorney. According to our State Labor commission "An at will employer can terminate for any reason at any time. Given it isn't because of sex,race, religion or disability" and they feel that "the lost revenue excuse" is a valid reason and that it does not fall under the ADA guidelines. Because Utah is a "At Will State" they are unable to pursue anything.(So basically our hard working State Employees don't want to deal with it.) We have one more plea for help out there in the State system but I doubt it will be heard. We will see. In the mean time I guess we will search for an Attorney. Thanks for all the input.

 

[Guest]

*shakes head*

Very sorry about your situation, baldstuart. Good luck with pursueing the attorney.... Thoughts/prayers coming your way....


PamO,
I'm sending you a PM...hoping we can talk on the phone or online.... In a nutshell: I'm getting more frustrated.

First...I have to keep COBRA through the old company through the end of October because I've had to visit the PCP earlier this month and process the claim through COBRA because I didn't have all of the info I needed from the new company insurance co....aye.

And, second, Assurant Healthcare has not called me back yet (waiting a couple days now) ... and, I'm told, anyway, by a representative of a few different companies, that Blue Cross/Blue Shield and the NASE will _not_ cover me individually due to the valve replacement ... aye. He told me he is going to "dig a little deeper" to find out for sure....guess we'll see. He did mention an Illinois Plan (I-Chip?) that he is going to see if I could be covered through that ... but, of course, at a high rate . Aye...I can't believe that I may have to forget about my dream job because of health care coverage .

 

[Ross]

Well folks,
Looks as though we will be engaging the services of an attorney. According to our State Labor commission "An at will employer can terminate for any reason at any time. Given it isn't because of sex,race, religion or disability" and they feel that "the lost revenue excuse" is a valid reason and that it does not fall under the ADA guidelines. Because Utah is a "At Will State" they are unable to pursue anything.(So basically our hard working State Employees don't want to deal with it.) We have one more plea for help out there in the State system but I doubt it will be heard. We will see. In the mean time I guess we will search for an Attorney. Thanks for all the input.

I don't know about you, but I'm tired of being kicked like a dog. I want to revolt but how? I'm tired of watching the other guy win.

 

[cocoalab]

Cort - you know I never miss a chance to rip a new one on health insurance!!!

As to individual policies - again the key is continuous coverage. They can preclude certain services related to a condition for a specified period of time.

Pam, Randy will qualify for insurance through his job in January. We lost our insurance the day he was laid off and got on Medicaid a few weeks later. Are we going to have trouble with "continuous coverage"?

Andrew has recently had valve replacement surgery and and ICD implanted during this time plus had previous heart surgery before the lay off. Also we might not be able to afford insurance through his work and may look into the IL KidsCare to help us there. Either that or our income may be low enough to stay on Medicaide. Any advice?

 

[cocoalab]

Cort I am sorry things are SO frustrating. i do hope that that won't be the case.

*shakes head*

Very sorry about your situation, baldstuart. Good luck with pursueing the attorney.... Thoughts/prayers coming your way....


And, second, Assurant Healthcare has not called me back yet (waiting a couple days now) ... and, I'm told, anyway, by a representative of a few different companies, that Blue Cross/Blue Shield and the NASE will _not_ cover me individually due to the valve replacement ... aye. He told me he is going to "dig a little deeper" to find out for sure....guess we'll see. He did mention an Illinois Plan (I-Chip?) that he is going to see if I could be covered through that ... but, of course, at a high rate . Aye...I can't believe that I may have to forget about my dream job because of health care coverage .

 

[Guest]

Thank you, Wendy.

Course, your situation doesn't sound any better ... depending, of course, on how that all plays out for you.

And, I'm with Ross...I'm tired of watching the other guy win ... in more ways than one of late....heh.

 

[JohnnyV_46]

My wife came home all freaked out and stressed out today. She had a bad day and got to thinking about what we would do if she some how lost her job. Their current insurance company seemed concerned that I had High BP and then they found out I was being treated for it longer than a year. We're not sure what they'll do if they found out about my current condition...Like she said, I'm going to have to have at least one more operation in my lifetime.

 

[baldstuart]

Today we were told by an attorney that because Bald had not been at the employer for a year he did not qualify for FMLA. and therefore even though it wasn't fair, it was legal. Again we were told that Utah is an "at will" state meaning you can be terminated for any reason. Fair or Not. And that if he had been a year there then we could fall on the FMLA, but because he was not a year at that job they probably knew this and used it to their advantage. So goes the innerworkings of "Corparate America" As if we haven't had enough BS to deal with!!!!!!!!!! It was hard enough to go thru the emotional turmoil one goes thru when face with life or death situations. But then to have it all work out great and look forward to going back to somewhat of a normal life then have this crap dumped on you.

 

[Guest]

*raises eyebrow slightly*

Did not qualify? I didn't think there were any limits around the FMLA.... Heh...learn something new everyday.... Course, this is one thing I didn't want to learn....

Very sorry the situation is looking grimmer than it did before you talked to the attorney. Thoughts/prayers coming your way....

 

[JohnnyV_46]

Maybe we should form our own "Militia"!!! Us Valvers could show em....

 

[baldstuart]

*raises eyebrow slightly*

Did not qualify? I didn't think there were any limits around the FMLA.... Heh...learn something new everyday.... Course, this is one thing I didn't want to learn....

Very sorry the situation is looking grimmer than it did before you talked to the attorney. Thoughts/prayers coming your way....

Who would of knew that there was a minimum time of 1250 hrs that you had to be at the job before you have any rights!!!! God forbid any thing should happen in your life prior to the magic hour you are covered by FMLA!!!

 

[Guest]

Pam,

Very sorry about your Dad's death ... thoughts/prayers coming your way. And, of course, thank you for the advice .


JV,

I like the idea of the "militia"....hmmmm.....


Bald,

I still think there is something "fishy" there.....