I am in a bind here. Debt collectors are calling me at work because I found out after the fact that he had canceled my insurance. My dear ex hubby says he gave my oldest son the insurance notice to give to me. Probably he lost or burned the cobra note. During this time, we were elegible for cobra, now that we are officially divorced, his company employee rep says that I did not send back the paperwork (that I did not have because of his shenanghans). What do we do to ge this debt paid and get our health insurance back for the kids and I?

Suellda

Courts have ruled that employers / administrators must make a good faith effort to provide eligible participants the COBRA notices, which means the notice must be sent in reasonable belief that the notice will actually get to you.

The notice should have been sent several ways, esp. in a divorce situation where the employee may have un-enrolled the dependents and spouse for whatever purposes and will try to impede the COBRA rights of the estranged partner.

Write the to health plan administrator and give them your correct address and tell them they have to rectify the lack of notice. Did you get a COBRA notice when your ex first joined the company?

You can also try and get your own COBRA alternative medical plan

S:

tell the medical debt collectors not to call you period. only discuss in writing. and consider medical bankruptcy. it happens many bks are from health care bills. That's why god invented bk lawyers. you could also counter claim your ex husband for denying your right, but that's hard to prove.

Sounds like a compliance failure. Call the DOL.

COBRA coverage for a former spouse and dependents end within 36 months. So, you need to be prepared for this coverage to end and to find new health insurance to take its place.

If you have questions about the impact of preexisting conditions on obtaining new health insurance once the COBRA coverage expires, post your question here.

It's real important to establish direct contact with the health people, so there are no mix ups with the paperwork.