I made a BIG mistage

I am switching Jordana's health insurance and I must have miscalculated something because the new coverage takes affect in January but her old insurance ended in November I am devestated. I can't believe I screwed up something this important. I have been sitting in my office crying ever since I found out.

There is nothing that can be done. I am just so upset. I feel like the worst mommy ever

Message edited 12/4/2006 4:45:12 PM.

Re: I made a BIG mistage

You are not a terrible mommy.... It's a mistake that anyone could have made.

Let's just pray and hope that Jordana has a healthy December and won't need to see a doctor. The worst that can happen is that you have to pay out of pocket for any expenses incurred

Re: I made a BIG mistage

It happens to all of us. Due to a big mixup with our insurance when Sarah was born we had to pay my OBs fee out of pocket, over $4k.

You should ask someone in HR like Barb, but I think that since you have like 6 months to sign up for COBRA, you could always sign up for that if *god forbid* you needed it this month. One of my friends had mentioned that to me after the fact.

Re: I made a BIG mistage

She is not on my work health insurance so Cobra is not an option. I actually just e-mailed my HR person to see if they could put her on just for the month. But the cost of that would probably be more than any doctor bills (assuming nothing major happens). But if I can, that is what I will do.

xxxxxxx

Message edited 2/9/2007 7:57:34 PM.

Re: I made a BIG mistage

Message edited 12/4/2006 8:06:12 PM.

Re: I made a BIG mistage

you are not a bad mommy at all! I think NY offers a few different kinds of health insurance for children... I work in billing and I know many of our patients have empire child health plus and several others.... ck this outinsurance

Re: I made a BIG mistage

Normally loss of coverage would be an event that would enable her to be added to any health ins plan that offers family coverage.

You can get coverage through NYS but it may be based on income.

I agree that retro-paying cobra is the best option, but if it's an individual plan she wouldn't qualify.

And for the record - a bad mommy wouldn't cry over health insurance. A bad mommy shrugs it off thinking she's only a baby & doesn't need health insurance.

Still a terrific mom in my book. Now dry those tears & go give that lilttle smush a hug & then carefully wipe of all of the germs.

Re: I made a BIG mistage

Posted by nrthshgrl

Normally loss of coverage would be an event that would enable her to be added to any health ins plan that offers family coverage.

You can get coverage through NYS but it may be based on income.

I agree that retro-paying cobra is the best option, but if it's an individual plan she wouldn't qualify.

And for the record - a bad mommy wouldn't cry over health insurance. A bad mommy shrugs it off thinking she's only a baby & doesn't need health insurance.

Still a terrific mom in my book. Now dry those tears & go give that lilttle smush a hug & then carefully wipe of all of the germs.

Re: I made a BIG mistage

Re: I made a BIG mistage

Not to make you worry even more, but in the spirit of being helpful, I'd agree with the APs and add that the big concern with insurance (leave it to an atty to think this way) is that there might appear something during the lapse that would then be considered a pre-existing condition before the new coverage takes effect and then whatever that health condition might be (i.e. allergies, asthma, AR) it won't be covered from that point forward. So, given that you don't know when an illness can pop up, you'd be safer to not allow there to be a lapse however you can accomplish that (COBRA, etc.) again, sorry if this added to your worry, but am looking out for the little angel.

Re: I made a BIG mistage

Hey ladies. Thanks for all the advice. I feel a little better now.

It was an individual coverage plan so Cobra is not an option. I also could not get her on my office's health insurance just for the month. The only insurance I could get immediately would be medicaid and we don't qualify for that. So we will have to wait until Jan. 1.

At least I will be home with her from the 22nd on so I will be able to carefully monitor her. If anything happens I can just pay for the doctors visit.