COBRA insurance, can you refuse?

[Guest guest]

For those that take insurancewhen a new patient presents with COBRA--they had just left their job but paying to maintain benefits through cobra...so they technically have insurance...can you refuse to take it?

Had an interesting interaction trying to refer patient, with another  doc and clinic  I need to send patient to --they  apparently doesn't accept cobra version of regence  since its " hard to verify... "

Its still Regence insurance, its just patient is paying through the nose to keep it until new job and new insurance kicks in...So I am very confused it could be refused.I was on cobra for a bit myself between jobs and I would be furious if I tried to see someone that took, in my case premera but refused to take cobra version, why pay so much money for it then?

[Guest guest]

Im not sure why they would refuse due to the fact that COBRA is the same insurance that the patient had when they were working.As long as the patient is paying their COBRA dues, the insurance plan is the same. (as long as the patient selected medical)Ardiana To: Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2012 1:32 PM Subject: COBRA insurance, can you refuse?

For those that take insurancewhen a new patient presents with COBRA--they had just left their job but paying to maintain benefits through cobra...so they technically have insurance...can you refuse to take it?

Had an interesting interaction trying to refer patient, with another doc and clinic I need to send patient to --they apparently doesn't accept cobra version of regence since its "hard to verify..."

Its still Regence insurance, its just patient is paying through the nose to keep it until new job and new insurance kicks in...So I am very confused it could be refused.I was on cobra for a bit myself between jobs and I would be furious if I tried to see someone that took, in my case premera but refused to take cobra version, why pay so much money for it then?

[Guest guest]

If you participate with the plan, you participate, regardless of who is paying for the plan. Does the card say COBRA on it? How would someone know it’s a COBRA plan. COBRA is a potential problem as if patients do pay they premium they are summarily dropped and there is no way to know that until after they deny payment. You can always refuse a patient but I don’t think you can refuse because of who is paying the insurance premium. Kathy Saradarian, MDNJ From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2012 1:33 PMTo: Subject: COBRA insurance, can you refuse? For those that take insurance when a new patient presents with COBRA--they had just left their job but paying to maintain benefits through cobra...so they technically have insurance...can you refuse to take it? Had an interesting interaction trying to refer patient, with another doc and clinic I need to send patient to --they apparently doesn't accept cobra version of regence since its " hard to verify... " Its still Regence insurance, its just patient is paying through the nose to keep it until new job and new insurance kicks in...So I am very confused it could be refused. I was on cobra for a bit myself between jobs and I would be furious if I tried to see someone that took, in my case premera but refused to take cobra version, why pay so much money for it then?