What happens with Insurance if laid off?

I know this is probably not the best place to ask, but I don't know where to go to find out. 2 months ago I had a a scope done. Right section of Colon is so inflamed it is half the size it should be. Had a upper GI & lower bowel test done (drank the barium) I think those were the test. Any way test results show a partial blockage in the small intestine, & a black spot on my stomach, that I still have to find out what that is. My Dr, doesn't think it's Chrohn's, but said a scope would have to be done to find out. He has me on the Predisone, Immurane, & Flagyl.
My Dr. thinks with the amount of inflammation in my colon that the standard predisone, immurane treatment isn't enough. I've had the skin test done & the chest X-ray, to be able to start Remicade treatments. I see my dr. the 3rd to find out when those will start.

Here is my issue & where I am worried. this past monday I almost got laid off. I was the last on the list & just was fortunate to not get the lay off. However I am now the first on the list if my work has another lay off. How will this effect my insurance? I can draw unemployment until I find another job, but I can't find insurance that quickly. There is no way I can afford to take the remicade if I don't have insurance & laid off.

If I do get laid off, & I find another job that offers insurance. Will my Crohn's be considered a pre-existing condition & not be covered?

Please if anyone knows where to get this information let me know. It is stressing me out causing issues over the past few days.
Sorry for such a long post. I just wanted to make sure I covered everything that I thought may be effected by me possibly loosing my Insurance.

Cokeman,
I'd be starting a job search as soon as possible, and investigating local healthcare
packages asap. Some companies extend health coverage if you have some kind of
exit package.Hopefully whatever job you do is in high demand, and you can work
elsewhere.I'm sure the medical problems will will be solved and hope Remicade goes
well for you.

COBRA is pretty much the only way you'd be getting insurance, if you can't get a job or the new job has a waiting period. It's spendy, though. I pay $500 per month for mine.

IMPORTANT - IF you are laid off before December 31, 2009, then Obama's federal stimulus package means that you will have to pay ONLY 35% of your COBRA premium for nine months after being laid off.

Your adjustable gross income must be under $125,000 if single and less than $250,000 if married filing a joint return.

http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/cobra.html

http://insurance.oregon.gov/FAQs/federal-stimulus-cobra-faq.html#subsidywork

COBRA is available for up to 18 months (see below)

http://74.125.93.132/search?q=cache:wJ03KaCMddcJ:www.compuquotes.com/insurance-definition-cobra.html+definition+of+COBRa&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

The following offers tips on what to do if you lose your job:

http://www.ncpa.org/pdfs/Seven_Ways_Job_3-16-09-FINAL-A.pdf

I thought it changed and COBRA could be active for up to 3 years...not that anyone would want to pay for it for so long...I'm on it right now to get me through school, and I'm paying about $150 a month, which isn't too bad considering without the stimulus it would be much more.

If you do lose your job (I hope not) your employer automatically should send you paperwork about COBRA and how to go forward. It usually takes a couple months, but you can continue to use your insurance if needed.

Good luck!

I was laid off 5 months ago! I pay COBRA but if you are laid off your cobra is like 1/2 of what cobra would normally be. Pres Obama signed this new legislation because of so many people losing their jobs that this be passed and you will receive the paperwork and you apply and you will have insurance at a much better rate. Don't worry, I"ve been through it! If you have any questions, let me know!
Jenn

GDen said...
I think I remember reading that if COBRA was too expensive you could just get an individual policy instead.

I've been on COBRA for almost a year now, and it's actually not expensive (at least my plan isn't!). I pay only $130 a month for medical, dental, AND vision coverage -- this is not with Obama's discount, either. It's definitely worth it to check into, even with the preconception that it's too expensive to afford. You might be surprised!

HabsHockeyFan said...
In addition to the 18 months of COBRA available to you at your cost, please remember to get a "certificate of creditable coverage". This will come from the carrier of your COBRA when you end that. That cert should then be presented to whatever carrier you get after COBRA to show you had continuous coverage. That is how you avoid the pitfall of pre-existing limitations

This should keep you safe.

If the insurance company is paying your medical bills right now, you should be ok, but I can't say that for certain, since your signature says your CD dx was in 1997.

You need to get a copy of your insurance policy, and your employee handbook, the answers to what is and what is not considered pre-existing will be found in there. Any questions you have about pre-existing are in those two documents, and NO PLACE ELSE!!! You can get both from your human resource department, or you can write the insurance company and ask for a copy of the summary plan description. www.dol.gov/dol/topic/health-plans/planinformation.htm

If you are safe there, if they are paying your medical bills right now, and they don't consider your CD to be pre-existing right now, then you should be able to take that with you to another job. It should carry over into cobra without any pre-existing issues, as long as you get that certificate of coverage.

Hi Dcham1,

From what I've read, the health care bill that is in Congress will not allow refusal of coverage due to preexisting conditions.  Have you read otherwise?  If so, where?

Thanks.