So my COBRA is ending in July

[JimmyDean]

I have no insurance anymore after that, considering I'm still job hunting and not a full-time student. I have Medicaid on top of Cobra right now, i wonder if Medicaid will step up to be my primary insurance. any experience on this one?

[Kev332]

James,

When i was diagnosed I was only working "temp" jobs and didn't have a full time position.... hence no insurance. I applied for "free care" at the hospitals i was treated at and was accepted (thank god). Not sure if this is an option for you, or if that is sort of what the Cobra is, but I just wanted to give you my 2 cents.

-Kevin

[Don]

I have Medicaid as well and the answer to your question is YES they will take over as your Primary insurance company... They will probably put you on a plan called share of cost.. What this means is that depending on how much income you have , you will have to meet a certain dollar figure each month before you are covered.. If you are presently unemployed then your share of cost will be low$300-500 a month.. This sounds weird but here's how it works-- let say your share of cost is $400.00 per month -- If all of your medical bills for the entire month total less then $400.00 you will have to pay the bills--If you total is above $400.00 (even if the bills are $100,000) you will pay nothing--medicaid will pick up the whole bill.. After you are on Medicaid for 24 months you will automatically be switched over to Medicare in most cases.. Medicaid will not pay for your presciptions!!!!!! Hope this info helps..... DON

[cotoram]

Options after COBRA

Jimmy Dean,

Insurance companies in certain states will provide for HIPAA qualified plans after you have exhausted COBRA. What this means is that you can apply for individual coverage, and whereas you would normally be declined due to health conditions, because you have exhausted your COBRA (you have to make sure you don't go more than 63 days without coverage), you cannot be declined for a HIPAA qualified individual plan. In the state of California, for example, Blue Cross offers this option. The benefits are less and the premium is about 20% higher than normal, but it is an option for those who would normally be declined for health conditions.
Medicaid is also a good option if you qualify. Depending on the severity of your health, you can also continue COBRA for more than 18 months if you are totally disabled (you have to be inpretty bad shape to qualify for this option) and you can go up to 36 months.

Here is some of the HIPAA language referring to individual plans:

HIPAA regulations

INDIVIDUAL HEALTH INSURANCE PROVISIONS
The individual health insurance provisions of HIPAA apply to policies offered, sold, or renewed after June 30, 1997. HIPAA assures that certain individuals are guaranteed access to individual health insurance coverage.
Eligible Individuals
Health insurers offering individual health insurance policies must offer coverage to any individual that meets the following criteria:
• The individual was most recently covered under a group health plan for a period of at least 18 months;
• The coverage ended no more than 63 days prior to the date of application;
• The coverage did not terminate because of fraud or nonpayment of premiums; and
• The individual is ineligible for COBRA or if offered COBRA continuation coverage (or continuation coverage under a similar state law) has both elected and exhausted their continuation coverage.
Required Coverage
A policy issued to an individual meeting these criteria may not contain pre-existing conditions and must be guaranteed renewable. As with group policies, the insurer must also provide a certificate of coverage if the policyholder cancels.
An insurer may comply with HIPAA by offering individuals the following:
• All of its individual health insurance products offered in the market;
• Two policies determined to be the insurer's most popular individual policies measured by premium volume; or
• Two policies — a high deductible and a low deductible plan, with average benefits.
Acceptable State Alternative
If a state has an acceptable alternate mechanism for assuring access to individual health coverage, insurers in that state will not have to comply with the individual health insurance provisions in their entirety. Health risk pools or mandatory conversion policies are two examples of acceptable state alternatives.
In order for this exception to apply, the state must have applied to the Secretary of Health and Human Services by April 1, 1997. If an acceptable state alternative is available, insurers are not required to guarantee issue their individual policies. Instead, they are only required to offer policies that are guaranteed renewable and must issue certificates of coverage if the individual terminates the policy.
-------------------------
High-risk pools. If a health issue, rather than the cost, is keeping you from being insured, check to see if your state has a high-risk insurance pool. The American Diabetes Association maintains a list of state programs and contact numbers at its Web site.

I hope this helps!!

[James]

When my Cobra was near expiration while still in school, I worked eve/nights at Disney driving their Disney Transport Buses for 91 days, got the bene's, put in my notice and took the Cobra... (Bought another 18 months)

Ironic thing is, I DID RELAPSE! Just a few months after I stopped working at Disney....

You do what you gotta do!!!!!! Thank God I now have great benefits with my professional full time job.... (United Healthcare)

In Florida there was some rule that if I went over 60 days without Insurance, they could have looked at my T/C and denied it for the laspe - per the previous post, check your state regulations - he gave some really good info!!!