Chronic pain Support - What the hell do we do now?

Author

What the hell do we do now?

redneck_kiwi

2005-12-21, 10:59 am

Hey guys....been a while since I was last on...things WERE going pretty
good until yesterday. Found out my COBRA insurance had been canceled
due to non-payment. Despite the fact that we had mailed the check, the
USPS managed to loose the damn check and BC/BS refuses to reinstate the
coverage. Anyone got any ideas about what the hell I do now?

Mike

Juba

2005-12-21, 12:54 pm

"redneck_kiwi" <kf4pfw@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1135184169.107623.92380@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com
> Hey guys....been a while since I was last on...things WERE going
> pretty good until yesterday. Found out my COBRA insurance had been
> canceled due to non-payment. Despite the fact that we had mailed the
> check, the USPS managed to loose the damn check and BC/BS refuses to
> reinstate the coverage. Anyone got any ideas about what the hell I do
> now?
>
> Mike

If you have any proof at all that you mailed it before the deadline that
might help. You can also write a letter to the head of the company
and/or the customer service department.

Otherwise, I'd check and see if your state has an insurance commissioner
or some other regulatory body for insurance and appeal to them.
--
Juba
www.masterjuba.com

Read the alt.support.chronic-pain Kook Faq
http://www.masterjuba.com/kook.htm

Ronnie

2005-12-21, 5:55 pm

Dont they have to give you a 30 day grace period?

Ronnie

--
---
"Kindness is a hard thing to give away,
for it is usually returned."
"redneck_kiwi" <kf4pfw@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1135184169.107623.92380@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> Hey guys....been a while since I was last on...things WERE going pretty
> good until yesterday. Found out my COBRA insurance had been canceled
> due to non-payment. Despite the fact that we had mailed the check, the
> USPS managed to loose the damn check and BC/BS refuses to reinstate the
> coverage. Anyone got any ideas about what the hell I do now?
>
> Mike
>

Puddin' Man

2005-12-22, 12:57 am

On 21 Dec 2005 08:56:09 -0800, "redneck_kiwi" <kf4pfw@gmail.com>
wrote:

>Hey guys....been a while since I was last on...things WERE going pretty
>good until yesterday. Found out my COBRA insurance had been canceled
>due to non-payment. Despite the fact that we had mailed the check, the
>USPS managed to loose the damn check and BC/BS refuses to reinstate the
>coverage. Anyone got any ideas about what the hell I do now?

Calm down. Dissect the situation very, very carefully.

Were you behind on payments?

The problem doesn't *have* to be with USPS. A
contractor might've lost your payment. I doubt
any health ins. companies open their own envelopes.

Do you bank online? Have "Bill Pay"? If so, verify
that they've not cashed your check and send 'em
a payment electronically. If they accept, you're
covered again.

Go to the state board of ins. only as a last resort.

Good Luck,
Puddin'
--
******************************************************
*** Puddin' Man PuddingDotMan at GmailDotCom ***
******************************************************;

Zombywoof

2005-12-22, 12:57 am

On Wed, 21 Dec 2005 20:58:15 GMT, "Ronnie" <rnvn@snet.net> wrote:

>Dont they have to give you a 30 day grace period?
>
>Ronnie
>
I think that might be for signing up, but once you do miss one payment
and usually the old heave-ho follows almost immediately.

All in all I think Juba gave some pretty good advice on the subject
regarding contacting the state Insurance Commissioner.
--
Zombywoof

Si vis Pacem, Para bellum

Zombywoof

2005-12-22, 12:57 am

On Wed, 21 Dec 2005 23:55:20 GMT, Puddin' Man <Pudding.Man@Gmail.Com>
wrote:

>On 21 Dec 2005 08:56:09 -0800, "redneck_kiwi" <kf4pfw@gmail.com>
>wrote:
>
>
>Calm down. Dissect the situation very, very carefully.
>
>Were you behind on payments?
>
>The problem doesn't *have* to be with USPS. A
>contractor might've lost your payment. I doubt
>any health ins. companies open their own envelopes.
>
>Do you bank online? Have "Bill Pay"? If so, verify
>that they've not cashed your check and send 'em
>a payment electronically. If they accept, you're
>covered again.
>
>Go to the state board of ins. only as a last resort.
>
> Good Luck,
> Puddin'
>
In my organization, we collect the payment directly from the
non-payroll employee. If they miss one payment, by law we are allowed
to cancel. Of course that is what the HR Director wants to do, but up
to this time I've fought it as a shitty thing to do to a person who is
having life issues anyway's. Other then a very minor cost for
administration it doesn't cost us anything to have an ex-employee
paying for COBRA since they bear the full cost.

If who ever collects his payment is saying they are canceling for
non-payment he needs to get someone with power involved ASAP and not
dick around. In this day & age nobody wants to get caught without
insurance. Especially someone who is already out on disability.

I do agree with you that these types of payments should be made via
EFT so that the human aspect is removed from the equation. It is just
to important to have somebody drop the ball.
--
Zombywoof

Si vis Pacem, Para bellum

redneck_kiwi

2005-12-23, 10:54 am

Everyone:

I have been trying for several days to get this issue resolved to no
luck. Called my Pain Doc and explained situation and told him to cancel
the epidural procedure we have scheduled for next week (1st of 3). He
said no way he was canceling it, that I needed it and he reduced the
cost down to $100 for each one. Talk about a mind blowing experience!
He told me that he would not abandon me and that he will "order" sample
meds to cover my needs for the two ultra expensive ones (Skelaxin and
Lyrica). I tell you what, this guy is truly a wonderful caring guy. He
also said my regular office visits would remain at my former co-pay of
$30.00........now off to find some relief...

Hope everyone has a great Christmas, is pain free and that you get what
you wanted from Santa.

Mike

Puddin' Man

2005-12-23, 10:54 am

On Thu, 22 Dec 2005 01:11:22 -0500, Zombywoof
<Zomby-Woof_dogs_@cox.net> wrote:

>On Wed, 21 Dec 2005 23:55:20 GMT, Puddin' Man <Pudding.Man@Gmail.Com>
>wrote:
>
>In my organization, we collect the payment directly from the
>non-payroll employee. If they miss one payment, by law we are allowed
>to cancel. Of course that is what the HR Director wants to do, but up
>to this time I've fought it as a shitty thing to do to a person who is
>having life issues anyway's. Other then a very minor cost for
>administration it doesn't cost us anything to have an ex-employee
>paying for COBRA since they bear the full cost.
>
>If who ever collects his payment is saying they are canceling for
>non-payment he needs to get someone with power involved ASAP and not
>dick around. In this day & age nobody wants to get caught without
>insurance. Especially someone who is already out on disability.
>
>I do agree with you that these types of payments should be made via
>EFT so that the human aspect is removed from the equation. It is just
>to important to have somebody drop the ball.

Well, it couldn't vary from state to state.

Ins. co. to ins. co.

Employer to employer.

Etc, etc.

Sometimes it's one thing to tell CSR's to cancel, quite another
to reject an EFT. EFT systems are "Programmed To Receive".

Not that I couldn't be wrong about an EFT. Just that it wouldn't
hurt to try (if OP has EFT privileges).

Here the state board is approximately as useful to consumers
as certain appendages on the proverbial boar hog. Hopefully it's
better where RK is.

Puddin'
--
******************************************************
*** Puddin' Man PuddingDotMan at GmailDotCom ***
******************************************************;

OldGoat

2005-12-23, 5:55 pm

Mikey,Mikey, Mikey:

Good to see you, even if it from the doo-doo hitting the fan. I hope your
recuperation is going well and you are getting on your feet again.
Dealing with any kind of insurance is a XXXXX. You need to find a bigger
XXXXX to bully them in to doing right. I would be on the phone with your
states insurance commission and raise holy hell, next stop would be your
lawyer (you should be getting something more than him sitting on his XXX for
$300 an hour) and if all that fails or you've done those routes, find who
your state representative (not Federal gov., State Gov) and make an
appointment to discuss this. How are you supposed to even get the bills
while flat on your back in a hospital bed, much less pay them? If that's
overdramatizing, go for it. They go in really big for stories where they
help the little guy, and they can't buy that kind of publicity.
That's just my 2 cents, I'm sure it's a bit more involved than what your
post is saying, so if you want to expand on it, give a shout.
Lemme know how you are anyway.

Talk to you soon-og

"redneck_kiwi" <kf4pfw@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1135184169.107623.92380@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> Hey guys....been a while since I was last on...things WERE going pretty
> good until yesterday. Found out my COBRA insurance had been canceled
> due to non-payment. Despite the fact that we had mailed the check, the
> USPS managed to loose the damn check and BC/BS refuses to reinstate the
> coverage. Anyone got any ideas about what the hell I do now?
>
> Mike
>