CHANGE! Cobra rates *are cut* 35%

[underpants]

talked to an unemployed freed at a picnic yesterday

he just got notification from his former employee about his Cobra options

"Employee" (there's a slap in the face) only $140
Employee +1 $300
Family $450

This was a major carrier (Southern Health or Aetna)

Not sure about a deductible or visit fees and meds

:shrug:

Well they DID go down.

As still unaffordable as those rates may be they used to be astronomical

[hobbit709]

1. My wife's paying $360/mo

That's just for her. I guess she needs to see if it gets lower.

[Kber]

9. If she was laid off, she should see her rate reduced to about $120 / month

She will also have the option of adding you to her plan and you will also be eligilble for the reduced rate.

[FreakinDJ]

2. Last time my COBRA was $660

I'll have to ask again

[Kber]

10. If you haven't received a notice from your former employer, call tomorrow to inquire.

[vaberella]

3. Great news. You start small and realistic and then move into the big guns.

But knowing people on this site....it's all or nothing and they say fuck to reason.

[cliffordu]

4. That's right.

[underpants]

5. Thank you

that was point succinctly

[Kber]

6. COBRA rates were cut TO 35%, not BY 35%

Here's the deal:
if you were involuntary terminated (this includes anyone let go for any reason other that gross misconduct,i.e. for theft or workplace violence) any time after September 1, 2008, you are eligible to receive a 65% subsidy for your COBRA insurance. The subsidy applies to any of your COBRA eligible dependents who lost their coverage because of your loss of employment.

The subsidy is retroactive to either February 18 or March 1, depending on how your plan worked.

If you are already signed up and paid the full premium for March and / or April, you will probably receive a credit. If you drop COBRA prior to using the credit up, you will receive a refund for the remaining amount.

If you dropped COBRA or never signed up, you can sign up now with retroactive coverage to either February 18 or March 1, again depending on your plan.

Employers had to April 18 to mail notices to their former employees who qualify for the subsidy. You have 60 days from the receipt of the notice to sign up. If you were laid off after September 1, 2008 and haven't received a notice, contact your employer on Monday.

Employers are responsible for putting up the remaining 65% of the premium, but they will receive a credit on their quarterly tax returns.

Even if you are already enrolled, you can keep your COBRA for 18 additional months from February 18 or March 1. However, the subsidy is set to expire December 31, 2009.

ALL THIS A POSSIBLE THANKS TO THE STIMILUS PACKAGE PASSED BY CONGRESS AND SIGNED INTO LAW BY PRESIDENT OBAMA ON FEBRUARY 18.

[underpants]

13. We didn't have the lit at hand

that could very well be the case.

Yes this is all from the A.R.R.A.

[Kber]

16. Implementing this program for my employer has pretty much been my job

for the past 2 months, so I'm pretty up on the details. :)

I guess that in addition to the COBRA payments, the ARRA has kept me gainfully employeed recently.

KB

[Phx_Dem]

7. Does it depend on what insurance carrier you have coverage thru?

Regardless, this is huge difference, and it's great for Southern Health- and Aetna-covered "employees." We just need to make sure it carries down to all insurance carriers.

[Kber]

8. No - this applies to anyone who was involuntarily let go after Sept 1, 2008

regardless of carrier.

[Phx_Dem]

11. Well, that's great news! COBRA charges were so obscenely high,

this is a huge improvement for personal coverage. The spouse/family plan still seems a bit high to me though for someone who is relying on uneployment insurance. But I guess it's better than a kick in the butt.

[Kber]

12. It's a great first step and I'll bet people will have trouble giving up the subsidy later

I am hoping it becomes permenent and that more people will be able to afford decent coverage.

Because it's a large difference in price, it's the difference between health care or not for a lot of people.

[prolesunited]

14. I lost my job August 22

So I don't get the subsidy. I checked. Sucks. Big time. We pay $1,100 a month for two of us and since we both have multiple pre-existing conditions, that's the best we can do.

I guess I can just skip my asthma and allergy meds. Who needs to breathe?

[Kber]

15. That's truly unfortunate!

I hate that there's a cut off date at all.

[Sirveri]

17. When I got laid off I just went without anything. I was young

and fairly healthy, so long as I didn't get into a car wreck, or get any sort of serious illness, I was fine.

[prolesunited]

21. Can't do it.

Already had to have upper and lower GI this year for unexplained bleeding, which cost about $8,000 with insurance (about $1,000 out of pocket that I'm making payments on). Without insurance, it would have been at least double if they would have done the procedure at all without payment up front.

Here's the kicker: Turns out I have severe inflammation of the stomach lining and on the way to an ulcer. Most likely cause -- STRESS. It's almost funny.

[tavalon]

18. Yeah, I was shocked at the rate they offered my ex

[New Earth]

19. Mine will be $283 per month at the 35% rate, for me and child

after my employer's severance contribution expires end of May...and I still won't be able to continue/afford it just getting unemployment :/

Please send me a job before end of May! :(

Oh, and my former employer didn't send me the notice, I got it straight from local Cobra Admin. office. At first I had no idea what it was, so I called my former employer and they played dumb. I guess even though they get the credit on their tax returns, they don't want to put out the money right now :/ Fortunately I figured it out on my own and sent in the form to continue coverage (gonna have to cancel it if I'm not employed by June 1st though).

[Kber]

20. I'm sorry - that sucks.

Technically notice through the administrator meets their legal obligation and, being a very new program, many HR professionals don't know about the details, so it may not have been intentional, but I agree that the motives of the employer make a big difference.

I wouldn't know about the company's official opinion, the the folks I work for several levels up are all in favor of single payer health insurance and, from a personal perspective, see this as a step in the right direction, but just a step.

The upshot is that we've dedicated the resources and time needed to really make sure that our former employees know about the program and can take full advantage.

It's nice to work for nice people.

[Withywindle]

22. When I first heard about this, I literally started to cry.

With relief. :cry:

3 months in office, and Obama has already directly helped ME PERSONALLY in a significant, not-at-all-token way. That reduction in price is simply the difference between having health coverage and not having it, for me.

No matter how much our Pres might piss me off down the line, I'll never forget that.