Re: Possibility of losing Insurance Coverage

[Guest guest]

Rhonda,

Prayers coming your way dear. I am so sorry to hear about you going through

that. Insurance can be such a hassle. It is a shame how much control the

companies have over our lives and health care.

I am thinking of you!

Angie in SC

" The happiest of people don't necessarily have the

best of everything; they just make the best of everything that comes along

their way. "

[Guest guest]

I found out last week that my " Family Leave Act " time is up. According

to my employer, that means I need to start paying for my own medical

insurance. 1410.00 per month! I applied for Disability benefits but

they are taking their sweet time getting around to letting me know

anything. In the mean time today is 3/30 and my payment is due before

the first of the coming month. I feel so helpless. It's not like I just

have the money laying around.

This disease is so hard anyway and then to have all this other stress

added on top. It's almost more than I can take. I'm scared! Really

scared... Please keep me in your prayers.

Rhonda

[Guest guest]

Dear Rhonda,

I was in a situation very similar to yours. FMLA (in Georgia) is

only

given for a 90-day period. (I am going to assume that the FMLA act

is

a federal law). I became unglued when I found out my job wasn't

secure

after my FMLA was up. Once 3 months passed the principal had the

right

to " post " my job as vacant. Thus leaving me without a position at a

school that I really loved and kids I have connected with. I was

still under contract with the county school system. The counties

school system did, however, have to offer me a position that

was " equal " (ha, ha, ha!) to the job I had at when I left.

I was so scared finding out that I was going to be out of work for a

month, I cried in the doctor's office because I couldn't imagine if

I were absent for a month what I would do.

I was very upset that my employer did nothing to inform me of what

would happen after FMLA was up. I believe I had a month or so to

apply for a leave of absence (a.k.a. LWOP-leave without pay).

Once they approved my leave, I mailed in copies of letters that said

that my leave had just been approved. I didn't meet the time

restriction of applying and paying the premiums to my insurance

company. Because I had the documentation I was able to dispute

the `cancellation' of my insurance coverage. Check and make sure

that the $141 is a premium that you would pay out of your

paycheck. See with my insurance I pay(id) my premiums for a 12-

month period when the leave began. After 12 months, if I am still

unable to work, I am eligible with proper documentation, to receive

Cobra for 18 months and boy is it expensive! But it is insurance…

The Cobra I've heard about runs from $300-400/month.

I am sorry I added so much info.

The main points are

1. Ask your Human Resource and/or insurance person at your job

as to what your recourse is after FMLA is up. Don't be afraid to

write or ask people for help (but you know that, you are here =)…

2. If there is something very reasonable, unfair, or " weird "

always appeal!! Sometimes you just have to get on the phone and

make a whole lot of calls, but it pay s off. (I.E. I had to have

Enternal Feedings and the " formula " was $300 per case and I believe

I went through one case every 3-4 days. The first and second times

insurance would not pay out on it, as it isn't a medication. We

finally had our local doc to write a letter as to why this formula

was an absolute necessity for me to live on. They told us at first

that it was considered food and " we don't buy groceries for you " ,

really nice sarcasm to hear while you're hooked up to a feeding

machine for 24 hours a day drugged out of my mind.

3. RESEARCH! I guess it goes along with above examples. You

never know what they may be able to do to help you.

4. Ask questions, don't just assume.

5. DEMAND to talk to a supervisor or a receptionist who won't

give you to a nurse to talk to …

6. Documentation (should be #1) always get names of people who

tell you certain things, phone #'s, date and time. When you start

telling people specific details they tend to try to get things

clarified, or else they might get in trouble.

7. Stress is evil; it can bring on an attack or just major

pain, as I am sure you well know! Take deep breaths and don't worry

about the things that Might be…we all find out answers in due time.

And who wants to get sick over insurance???

You are in my thoughts…

=)

--- In pancreatitis , " memine_12345 " <

> to my employer, that means I need to start paying for my own

medical

> insurance. 1410.00 per month! I applied for Disability benefits

but

> they are taking their sweet time getting around to letting me know

> anything. In the mean time today is 3/30 and my payment is due

before

> the first of the coming month. I feel so helpless. It's not like I

just

> have the money laying around.

> This disease is so hard anyway and then to have all this other

stress

> added on top. It's almost more than I can take. I'm scared! Really

> scared... Please keep me in your prayers.

> Rhonda