Question:
Can someone help with Cobra questions?

My husband is getting a new job....His start date will be June lst. I have already been approved and my surgery is July 30. I already know that I will have to carry COBRA for a month. The new insurance starts August 1. Will the new insurance cover my hospital stay or aftercare even though they did not give the approval for the surgery? Does anyone know how much COBRA coverage costs. Thanks!! Dana    — Dana N. (posted on May 17, 2001)

May 17, 2001

   — paula B.

May 17, 2001
You will need to find out what insurance the new company offers. If possible call them and ask what their policy is for your situation. Once they know you will be an insured on a certain date they are able to give you an authorization even though the coverage will not be active until August 1.
   — Shannon S.

May 17, 2001
If you pay through July 30, the coverage should be in effect for 30 days following (that's how my COBRA worked). It also paid my after care as long as I paid the premiums. It cost $200 per month for single coverage. Good Luck.
   — Allie B.

May 17, 2001
The new insurance should cover your aftercare, but it's doubtful they will cover your hospital stay and surgery since you have not gotten pre-approval. If I were you, I'd stay with COBRA an extra month just to be sure. Also, I know on my husband's plan, we had 30 days from the effective date to add me to his policy. So you could pay COBRA for August and hop on his plan in September.
   — PT LawMom

May 18, 2001
When we had to use Cobra it cost something like 104% of the premium. Remember your employer covers some cost when it is through them. Also I believe you have to pay the month prior to coverage. Then is there prexisting to think of. Cobra I believe is limited to 18 mths.
   — [Anonymous]

May 18, 2001
I hope i can help with this question. I currently have COBRA at this time. My hubby had been a manager for a video chain and changed jobs in Febuary. We had United Health Care as our insurance. We had only had it since November 2000. I started my WLS work on November 11th 2000. That was the date of my first consutation. My surgeron submitted my paperwork to UHC and they took 4 months to approve me. By the time i got my approval my husband had changed jobs...WHAT A MESS!! We promptly took out COBRA on just me through the existing policy because a family policy was going to cost over $550.00 per month. For me alone it was only $154.00. Since COBRA uses your current insurance company, they have to cover you just as your company benefits state in your coverage packet. I was approved and had surgery on April 30th. All under COBRA. They have covered all of my hospitalization and surgeons/anethesiologists fees just as United Health Care would have under normal employee benefits. If you have any other questions feel free to email me.
   — Tracy L.