X-POSTED from Teacher AND Parenting (yes, I am that heated...) Can someone help me regarding Termination of benefits while on FMLA leave?

Hi All-

This is my long story and I am hoping somebody here can point me in the right direction. I am so exhausted from fighting for my rights as a teacher AND a citizen...

I started my FMLA leave on 12/17/08. I submitted all of my paperwork to my payroll secretary. I gave birth to my DD on 12/25/08. After the holiday break, I submitted the additional paperwork to her such as the birth certificate etc. I returned to work on 3/10/09.

About a month after I returned to work, I started to receive tons of denied claims from GHI in the mail. I called GHI and was told that my coverage was canceled on 2/5/09--six weeks after I gave birth to DD. I was also informed that DD's coverage was terminated on 12/28/09--the day I left the hospital with her.

I called HR Connect and they instructed me to call/e-mail this woman named Elizabeth Abrams. She was very helpful and told me that she would resubmit the paperwork to a special division because the benefits had to be reinstated retroactively blah, blah, blah. By this point, it is around May and the school year is drawing to a close. I call/e-mail Ms. Abrams several times a week and she keeps saying that it takes time, I will get my benefits etc.

I also called Sheldon Hychman at FMLA and he told me the the DOE MUST reinstate my benefits retroactively.

So the summer come, I e-mail Ms. A once, and get no response. As soon as the school year starts, I go to talk to my payroll secretary and she gets on the case. She calls Ms. Abrams who directs her to somebody else.

Basically, this person said that the paperwork was never submitted to the correct location and the city is NOT going to cover me or my family for this time.

My daughter has pediatric bills in excess of 1200 bucks and my husband and I had to lay out cash to a dr. we see regularly because he wasn't getting paid. In total, we have probably spent over 2,000 out of pocket in medical expenses.

My union rep. is pretty useless, so I feel like going to her is a big waste of time.

I hate spending my Saturday thinking about this!

Does anyone have any advice? Has anyone gone through anything similar? I am definitely writing letters to the mayor, the chancellor, the union president and even President Obama (I know it sounds crazy, but it will be the same letter printed out 4 times Chat Icon ) but is there any other way I can solve this mess?

My husband wants to sue.

Sigh.

Re: X-POSTED from Teacher AND Parenting (yes, I am that heated...) Can someone help me regarding Termination of benefits while on FMLA leave?

wow.... somebody HAS TO be accountable! Really! Somebody sent it to the wrong location? How is that your problem? It's not like you are on the only one in the US to have FMLA after giving birth.

Re: X-POSTED from Teacher AND Parenting (yes, I am that heated...) Can someone help me regarding Termination of benefits while on FMLA leave?

You did everything that you were instructed to do. unfortunately the paperwork was mishandled and now you have to pay for it. Call the Department of Labor and I agree with your DH..I would get a lawyer.

Re: X-POSTED from Teacher AND Parenting (yes, I am that heated...) Can someone help me regarding Termination of benefits while on FMLA leave?

The DOE will eventually get their Sh*T together and retro you.

In the meantime, I would get an attorney to write a letter to your insurance to freeze the billing so it doesnt affect your credit.

Re: X-POSTED from Teacher AND Parenting (yes, I am that heated...) Can someone help me regarding Termination of benefits while on FMLA leave?

Thanks all. DH is an attorney and he is going to draft a letter to the insurance company, DOE and the dr.'s offices. With all this talk about healthcare, this situation made me really empathetic to those who don't have any.

Re: X-POSTED from Teacher AND Parenting (yes, I am that heated...) Can someone help me regarding Termination of benefits while on FMLA leave?

I don't have any advice- but I also work for the DOE and my benefits were also cancelled during my maternity leave even though I put in for SLOAC (Special Leave of Absence coverage) and was supposed to get it (I was out 2 weeks beyond my FMLA time but was cancelled during FMLA time.) Fortunately it was taken care of before I got any bills but it was a HUGE PITA. I am sorry that your situation is so much worse.

Re: X-POSTED from Teacher AND Parenting (yes, I am that heated...) Can someone help me regarding Termination of benefits while on FMLA leave?

i would also contact your state senator, state assemblyman, and your city council member. all of them have local oversight and can look into your "case." when a caseworker calls an insurance company, they tend to move. might also be worth checking with your congressman to do the same, though this is more of a local/state issue, so the federal reps won't be able to do much officially.

so sorry you are dealing with this. good luck!