IM SO, SO PISSED

MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BEEN SEPERATED FOR 4 YEARS. I HAVEN'T HAD ANY CONTACT WITH HIM UNTIL RECENTLY (JUNE). WHEN HE HANDED ME DIVORCE PAPERS. I ONLY AGREED TO SIGN THE PAPERS WITH THE STIPULATION THAT HE KEPT ME ON HIS INSURANCE AND I KEPT MY LAST NAME. WELL I JUST FOUND OUT THAT I HAVE BEEN DROPPED FROM HIS INSURANCE AS OF 9.20.04. I DIDNT SIGN THE DIVORCE PAPERS BECAUSE MY STIPULATIONS WERE NOT STATED SO I WAS JUST GONNA WAIT, HAVE THE SURGERY AND THEN SIGN THE PAPERS. I CALLED HIS BENEFITS OFFICE TO FIND OUT IF HE COULD JUST DROP ME LIKE THAT WITHOUT AN QUALIFYING EVENT AND I WAS TOLD THAT HE COULD MAKE ONE CHANGE. ALSO THEY WOULDNT GIVE ME ANY INFORMATION BECAUSE OF HIPAA LAWS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I CANT EVEN GET THE COBRA COVERAGE WHICH WILL EXPIRE IN 4 DAYS. I'M BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE. I NEED HELP. IF I GO WITH ANOTHER INSURANCE I DON'T WANT THEM NOT TO COVER ME BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING I HAVE HAD DONE THUS FAR AND CALL IT A PRE-EXISTING ILLNESS. IF ANYONE HAS GONE THROUGH OR IS GOING THROUGH A DIVORCE AND HAD THE SAME ISSUE PLEASE HELP ME.

Lamonica, I dont have any advice for you except maybe to talk to your lawyer? I just wanted to say I am sorry youre going through this and I know how frustrating ex husbands can be! Good Luck! Lea Ann

I've never heard about being able to "make one change" without a qualifying event. I'd call the benefits office again and speak to a supervisor. I've audited benefit plans at many companies, and NONE of them have allowed changes without a qualifying event (except, of course, during open enrollment). My thoughts are with you!