34 Weeks Pregnant And Insurance Changed Posted: 08-21-07 16:38pm
I am due my baby the end of next month.
When i found out i was pregnant i had just
switched jobs so i had very little choice
but to elect COBRA in order to be covered.
Last month i found out that my former
employer had not been processing my claims
correctly and my insurance was canceled on
me. I was paying in full every month but
the payments were not being sent on to the
insurance company - even though my checks
were being cashed. This issue was finally
resloved and my insurance was reinstated.
Today i recieved a letter in the mail
saying that they have switched insurance
providers effecive August 1st, The letter
was dated August 20th.
Firstly - My cobra payment for august was
cashed at the start of the month - my
employer never notified the cobra agents
so they processed my payments and sent it
on to the company as per usual, but
according to the letter i got today our
insurance had switched by then.
Secondly - and more importantly - i have
gone from a 0 deductible to a $4000
deductible - with only 6 weeks left in my
pregnancy. Can the new insurance company
deny me maternity coverage via a waiting
period?? would it be cheaper to see if i
can take out a private policy with the
current insurance company to at least get
me through the birth and if so would they
have a waiting period for maternity
benefits or would the fact that I have
been insured by them (and still
technically am seeing as payment was made)
count against any waiting period clause
they may have.
Any advice would be appricated.
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DoorIn
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 24 Location: Coral Springs, Fl
Posted: 08-23-07 07:30am
You won’t be able to get a private
policy until after you deliver. Your
COBRA benefits should have remained the
same and through the same company for up
to 18 months, depending on how long you
kept it. Just because your employer
switched, doesn’t mean you should have.
Question: Did you fill out a COBRA
packet, or did your employer just keep you
on his policy as though you were a full
time employee?