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Re: never got letter/want coverage but not pay retro

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Posted by TPA-girl on December 10, 2009 at 01:13:39:

In Reply to: never got letter/want coverage but not pay retro posted by V Grissom on August 20, 2009 at 13:45:38:

: I was laid off March 6 2009. I knew I could not afford Cobra and I did not bug them when I never received any enrollment papers. In June I saw info in the Tex Workforce commission that I could pay 35% of premium and be covered. I called employer for Cobra Letter I never got and after a few more emails and calls finally a month letter they sent me my Cobra letter I should have gotten originally. I also now now that BY LAW they should have sent me that "second chance letter" that would have let me know about the 35% thing (that was due- by law by March 31.) Heres the deal - I still want it but I cannot pay retro, (I did not have it all that time, I did not use it). I want my full 9 monthso at 35%. They broke laws by not sending stuff out/timely manner. What can I do???

Well.... you can contact the Department of Labor,
but...even if you were granted a second election at this point you would have to pay retro. COBRA is the law that allows you to have continuous coverage, which means NO LAPSE in coverage. Your insurance, premiums due, AND stimulus start date would all retro back to March.

Just be advised if you were laid off in March, I would bet the COBRA election you initially received (presumably in March or April) included the stimulus. The premium rates listed on the notice rarely reflect the stimulus amount. You may have missed it.

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Subject: Re: Re: never got letter/want coverage but not pay retro

Comments:
: : I was laid off March 6 2009. I knew I could not afford Cobra and I did not bug them when I never received any enrollment papers. In June I saw info in the Tex Workforce commission that I could pay 35% of premium and be covered. I called employer for Cobra Letter I never got and after a few more emails and calls finally a month letter they sent me my Cobra letter I should have gotten originally. I also now now that BY LAW they should have sent me that "second chance letter" that would have let me know about the 35% thing (that was due- by law by March 31.) Heres the deal - I still want it but I cannot pay retro, (I did not have it all that time, I did not use it). I want my full 9 monthso at 35%. They broke laws by not sending stuff out/timely manner. What can I do??? : Well.... you can contact the Department of Labor, : but...even if you were granted a second election at this point you would have to pay retro. COBRA is the law that allows you to have continuous coverage, which means NO LAPSE in coverage. Your insurance, premiums due, AND stimulus start date would all retro back to March. : Just be advised if you were laid off in March, I would bet the COBRA election you initially received (presumably in March or April) included the stimulus. The premium rates listed on the notice rarely reflect the stimulus amount. You may have missed it.

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