Voting NO could mean NO COBRA INSURANCE

[mlt]

diogenes,
All you have to do is enter HIPAA or COBRA in the search area and a list of resources appears. The best resources are the government sites. They offer thorough explanations as well as Q&A. Additionally, USAirways benefits is aware of the HIPAA regulations and I have been assured they will co-operate should the need arise.

 

[cavalier]

I have been assured they will co-operate should the need arise.
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I am sure they will, just like us when there is a gun pointed at our head.

 

[cavalier]

I have been assured they will co-operate should the need arise.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

I am sure they will, just like us when there is a gun pointed at our head.

 

[mlt]

Cavalier,
You are correct, U's management has proven they cannot be trusted. Therefore, the way I see it you have two options.

1. Do nothing, wait for the sky to fall and be a victim.
2. Be pro-active, protect your family and be a survivor.

I elect to be a survivor. My actions are as follows:

A. I will contact U' benefits tomorrow morning at 1800-872-4780. I will request, per federal law, that they send me a certificate of credible coverage.

B. I have my current health insurance card and I will place it in a safe spot. In the event I need to prove I have had coverage I will have one item of proof.

C. I have my pay-stubs which prove I have had health insurance premiums deducted twice monthly from my paycheck. I will place these stubs with my insurance card to ensure I have additional proof.

D. If I had a military background (I don't) I would contact the VA tomorrow morning and ask for information regarding health insurance and prescription coverage. I would request the applications be sent and start the paperwork to be 4-6 weeks ahead of the game. In the event the VA insurance is not needed, I have spent possibly 1-2 hours to protect my family. In the event it is needed the time was well spent.

This situation is horrible and most of what is going to occur is out of our hands. However, what little control I do have over my future I will exercise. We all have free will. If you elect to drown in a pool of anger and cynisism, so be it. I elect to survive!

 

[mlt]

Cavalier,
You are correct, U's management has proven they cannot be trusted. Therefore, the way I see it you have two options.

1. Do nothing, wait for the sky to fall and be a victim.
2. Be pro-active, protect your family and be a survivor.

I elect to be a survivor. My actions are as follows:

A. I will contact U' benefits tomorrow morning at 1800-872-4780. I will request, per federal law, that they send me a certificate of credible coverage.

B. I have my current health insurance card and I will place it in a safe spot. In the event I need to prove I have had coverage I will have one item of proof.

C. I have my pay-stubs which prove I have had health insurance premiums deducted twice monthly from my paycheck. I will place these stubs with my insurance card to ensure I have additional proof.

D. If I had a military background (I don't) I would contact the VA tomorrow morning and ask for information regarding health insurance and prescription coverage. I would request the applications be sent and start the paperwork to be 4-6 weeks ahead of the game. In the event the VA insurance is not needed, I have spent possibly 1-2 hours to protect my family. In the event it is needed the time was well spent.

This situation is horrible and most of what is going to occur is out of our hands. However, what little control I do have over my future I will exercise. We all have free will. If you elect to drown in a pool of anger and cynisism, so be it. I elect to survive!

 

[Non Rever]

Get another job.

"I wish you would."

Every other job I have held had better health benefits even at U's best times.

"Well my friends have always been envious of my health benefits and vacation. Ive looked for other jobs and have yet to find any that offer what i will get even post bankruptcy"

Chip I am voting to accept

"But why you have such disdain for this company. If its do D*** bad why are you still here?"

----------------
[/blockquote]

 

[Non Rever]

Get another job.

"I wish you would."

Every other job I have held had better health benefits even at U's best times.

"Well my friends have always been envious of my health benefits and vacation. Ive looked for other jobs and have yet to find any that offer what i will get even post bankruptcy"

Chip I am voting to accept

"But why you have such disdain for this company. If its do D*** bad why are you still here?"

----------------
[/blockquote]

 

[oldiebutgoody]

[blockquote]
----------------
On 12/22/2002 6:39:41 PM mlt wrote:

You are confusing COBRA & HIPAA. They are stand alone. The purpose of HIPAA is to lessen the exclusion of pre-existing conditions. This federal law allows you to:
A. Purchase health care on your own.
B. Enroll in a new employers health plan.
while lessening or eliminating the pre-existing condition clause!!!

HIPAA never charges a fee!!!!
----------------
[/blockquote]
I am NOT confusing them. I know that they are separate, and here's the gist: COBRA won't apply to employees of U if U goes under, and HIPAA guarantees NOTHING! It even specifically states that laws governing requirements to provide any sort of medical coverage are regulated by the STATE, not the federal government. You can get all the certificates you want, they don't guarantee that you'll get any sort of coverage at all. That's the law, and if you don't believe me go to the address I put in my earlier post. Basically all HIPAA does is allow someone to enroll in a new employers' health plan anytime during the year as if it was the open enrollment period. That's ALL the protection you get from pre existing conditions. If the new employers plan doesn't cover them, then you're SOL. That's how it reads. All that the "certificate of credible coverage" does is show the new plan that you were once covered, but it does NOT obligate them in any way to cover you.

 

[oldiebutgoody]

[blockquote]
----------------
On 12/22/2002 6:39:41 PM mlt wrote:

You are confusing COBRA & HIPAA. They are stand alone. The purpose of HIPAA is to lessen the exclusion of pre-existing conditions. This federal law allows you to:
A. Purchase health care on your own.
B. Enroll in a new employers health plan.
while lessening or eliminating the pre-existing condition clause!!!

HIPAA never charges a fee!!!!
----------------
[/blockquote]
I am NOT confusing them. I know that they are separate, and here's the gist: COBRA won't apply to employees of U if U goes under, and HIPAA guarantees NOTHING! It even specifically states that laws governing requirements to provide any sort of medical coverage are regulated by the STATE, not the federal government. You can get all the certificates you want, they don't guarantee that you'll get any sort of coverage at all. That's the law, and if you don't believe me go to the address I put in my earlier post. Basically all HIPAA does is allow someone to enroll in a new employers' health plan anytime during the year as if it was the open enrollment period. That's ALL the protection you get from pre existing conditions. If the new employers plan doesn't cover them, then you're SOL. That's how it reads. All that the "certificate of credible coverage" does is show the new plan that you were once covered, but it does NOT obligate them in any way to cover you.

 

[mlt]

You are confusing COBRA & HIPAA. They are stand alone. The purpose of HIPAA is to lessen the exclusion of pre-existing conditions. This federal law allows you to:
A. Purchase health care on your own.
B. Enroll in a new employers health plan.
while lessening or eliminating the pre-existing condition clause!!!

HIPAA never charges a fee!!!!

 

[mlt]

You are confusing COBRA & HIPAA. They are stand alone. The purpose of HIPAA is to lessen the exclusion of pre-existing conditions. This federal law allows you to:
A. Purchase health care on your own.
B. Enroll in a new employers health plan.
while lessening or eliminating the pre-existing condition clause!!!

HIPAA never charges a fee!!!!

 

[oldiebutgoody]

I read all the info at this site: http://cms.hhs.gov/hipaa/hipaa1/content/qa-con.asp#10
It doesn't even mention what happens when a company goes out of business. My take on this HIPAA is that it looks like a great guarantee of no guarantees. The portability aspect may be important to someone that gets a new job and must enroll in the medical plan at some time other than the normal open enrollment period, but I see little else of any value. It specifically says that there are NO GUARANTEES OF COVERAGE, but that states' laws normally govern such requirements. All that COBRA does is provide for a continuation of your coverage (for a fee, and a rather large one) for a specified period after you lose or change jobs. This wouldn't even apply if U goes belly up, since there would be no medical plan. You can try to paint as rosy a picture as you want, but the truth is, a large number of folks won't have any health coverage (not to mention dental, which I don't believe has ANY guarantees at all) until they get re-employed. Sometimes folks can get group rates through organizations they belong to, like churches, lodges and fraternal organizations, so that may be a place to start research for interim coverage if U does fold.

 

[oldiebutgoody]

I read all the info at this site: http://cms.hhs.gov/hipaa/hipaa1/content/qa-con.asp#10
It doesn't even mention what happens when a company goes out of business. My take on this HIPAA is that it looks like a great guarantee of no guarantees. The portability aspect may be important to someone that gets a new job and must enroll in the medical plan at some time other than the normal open enrollment period, but I see little else of any value. It specifically says that there are NO GUARANTEES OF COVERAGE, but that states' laws normally govern such requirements. All that COBRA does is provide for a continuation of your coverage (for a fee, and a rather large one) for a specified period after you lose or change jobs. This wouldn't even apply if U goes belly up, since there would be no medical plan. You can try to paint as rosy a picture as you want, but the truth is, a large number of folks won't have any health coverage (not to mention dental, which I don't believe has ANY guarantees at all) until they get re-employed. Sometimes folks can get group rates through organizations they belong to, like churches, lodges and fraternal organizations, so that may be a place to start research for interim coverage if U does fold.