S/O Health Insurance

[ddi741]

I'm pretty sure I already know the answer but thought I'd ask here anyway. (I have a call into our benefits person at work but haven't heard back yet)

H is changing jobs. He carries our health insurance. The new company has a 60 day waiting period before he is eligible. We've already seen the plan details and it's almost identicle to what we have now.

Unfortunately we can't afford cobra for the 2 months and I don't want to go 60 days w/o insurance so we'll have to go on my co. plan but the plan isn't that great.

I know his change in job is a qualifying event to get us put on my plan but I was wondering if when his 60 day waiting period was up if we could just go on his new plan?

I'm pretty sure we're SOL and once we're on my plan we have to stay for the year but I am hoping that is not the case.

[hski2349]

I am by no means an expert, but can't you go on cobra retroactively if need be? At least that is what I have heard people say.

[kershnic]

Your spouse losing insurance coverage I think is qualifying enough to change your plan, so maybe your spouse acquiring new coverage option is also qualifying? I'm not really sure, but it seems reasonable.

[ellipses84]

Is it really only 60 days? I think you have 63 days to elect Cobra. It's a risk, but if you and your DH both know to elect it in an emergency and you think you could make it that long without a Dr. otherwise, you should be ok.

[Deleted]

Your spouse acquiring insurance is not a qualifying life change and you would have to keep your coverage until your next open enrollment. However, as pp said, you can elect COBRA anytime within 63 days and it will be retroactive, so you always have that option if something goes wrong.

[hlke]

You need to make sure there aren't any pre-existing condition exclusions in his new company plan. If there are, you need to have continuous creditable coverage to avoid any exclusions or waiting periods. The break in coverage would reset the clock on pre-existing conditions. This is a bad idea even if you don't have any conditions you know about, because the company can always claim it was pre-existing anyway.

I've gotten short term cheap terrible insurance from Assurant to ensure no break in coverage when this was the case for me. Obamacare fixes this, but not until 2014.

[ddi741]

Thanks so much for all the responses

[chessie]

New job change is qualifying change. DH when he switched to a job with none I was able to add DH no issues and if he got a job with insurance- they could take him off.

[midnightmare81]

Sorry PP to hijack your post, but having COBRA means you did not have a gap in coverage right?

[Deleted]

Jan 9, 2013 1:26:52 GMT -5 midnightmare81 said:

Sorry PP to hijack your post, but having COBRA means you did not have a gap in coverage right?

Correct because cobra is simply an extension of your current plan.

[Deleted]

I work in insurance. You can sign up for your employer's plan for yourself and your husband as a qualifying event. When his waiting period is over and he elects coverage through his employer, that is also a qualifying event to move to his insurance. You won't have to stay on yours for a year.

[mrs.spunky]

Jan 8, 2013 1:20:38 GMT -5 hlke said:

You need to make sure there aren't any pre-existing condition exclusions in his new company plan. If there are, you need to have continuous creditable coverage to avoid any exclusions or waiting periods. The break in coverage would reset the clock on pre-existing conditions. This is a bad idea even if you don't have any conditions you know about, because the company can always claim it was pre-existing anyway.

This isn't true. Pre-ex don't come into play unless you go beyond 63 days between group plans.

[elcjet]

Jan 9, 2013 9:22:35 GMT -5 twostep said:

I work in insurance. You can sign up for your employer's plan for yourself and your husband as a qualifying event. When his waiting period is over and he elects coverage through his employer, that is also a qualifying event to move to his insurance. You won't have to stay on yours for a year.

This is exactly what DH's company told him when he asked about my pending unemployment and subsequent rehiring, since we are all on my benefits.