COBRA

I needed to know how to apply for COBRA insurance. In a year, I won't be covered under my dad's insurance, and I will still be in college. I can't get covered by a medically underwritten plan. I was told that if I had a COBRA plan for 12 months, no one could deny me insurance due to a preexisting medical condition, aka Crohns. I wanted to be able to work it out so that I will have a good health insurance plan once I am not covered under my dad. Any advice appreciated!

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"Of one thing I am certain, the body is not the measure of healing - peace is the measure. ~George Melton~"

Current Meds include:Colazal, Prednisone, Nexium and Remicade

I really should start a blog on battling insurance companies, I've done it enough I've gone through the exact same situation, turning 21 and losing my parents' insurance while having UC. (Or maybe it was 22, I can't remember. . depends on your state)

You call up your dad's insurance company, and on the phone menu there should be a button to mash for COBRA service. You explain to them that you're going to lose coverage at your next birthday, and they will send you paperwork. You fill out the paperwork, and you will have to pay whatever your dad was paying for your coverage, plus a certain percentage over that. You keep all the same doctors, copays, coverage, etc.

Now, that gives you coverage for a limited time, I forget exactly how long. I think it is 3 years for "Loss of Dependent Child Status."

The thing is, it won't last forever, and it won't help you get individual coverage on your own. What it WILL do is this: When you get group coverage either by your employer, or spouse' employer, or whoever, your UC doctors' visits and medications will be covered right from the beginning. If you do not have COBRA extension, if you have any gaps in your coverage, when you do end up getting group coverage somewhere, they won't cover your UC for the first year, because it's a "pre-existing condition." If you have maintained coverage at all times, they MUST pay for it right away, by law.


Disclaimer: Your state may have more benefits, I'm just talking about the federal COBRA law.

Here's the Department of Labor's PDF file on COBRA: http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/pdf/cobraemployee.pdf

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12 Asacol
100 mg Imuran
6 or 9 fish oil pills
4 Acidophilus pills

Post Edited (UCinGV) : 10/25/2007 2:47:47 PM (GMT-6)

You should have been offered COBRA when you left your dads policy. I think you have/had 63 days to elect it. If you missed out you could be in a world of hurt. Best plan is to get a job with health ins.

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