Lena Has No Health Insurance Until February!

[TromboneAl]

Because of some snafu at Anthem Blue Cross, Lena's health insurance was cancelled. It may have happened because we got new credit card numbers, but there was no notification. It doesn't seem reasonable that her coverage would go away without them telling us (she's actually had not coverage since Nov 30).

So, my question is: what should we do until Feb 1? Should Lena stay home so that she can't get in a car accident? Is there anyway to get temporary health insurance?

Thanks!

 

[Gotadimple]

Yes, but it's pricy. Google California Short Term Health Insurance. Or replace California with your state.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

Price some "trip insurance" through allianz for a couple mos. Then price for a year. Offers some amount of medical. May have to drive x distance from home before you seek care. In case of illness or injury, road trip?

 

[COcheesehead]

Price some "trip insurance" through allianz for a couple mos. Then price for a year. Offers some amount of medical. May have to drive x distance from home before you seek care. In case of illness or injury, road trip?

You sure about this? We’ve had to provide proof of trip booking.

 

[TromboneAl]

I just talked with someone from HealthForCalifornia.com. We could get a one-month plan for $545 that would cover up to $500K for hospital, etc. $5K deductible.

Advice?

It doesn't seem reasonable Anthem shouldn't take responsibility.

 

[TromboneAl]

Okay, I signed up for the one-month plan. Nice to be rich.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

You sure about this? We’ve had to provide proof of trip booking.

I bought an annual plan to cover 2018 and they only asked our ages

 

[Midpack]

I had a temporary healthcare policy with UHC last Feb thru Apr between the time DW retired and I became eligible for Medicare. It was much less expensive than $545/mo though? But I wouldn't worry about it for one month, now Lena can drive a car and ride a bike this month!

 

[Rianne]

My DMI was an independent real estate broker. She went without health insurance for 10 years, I am not even kidding. When she turned 65 and went on medicare, we realized she had pretty severe symptoms of ovarian cancer and didn't tell anyone. After turning 65, she was diagnosed with 4th stage ovarian cancer and then got treatment. Lived to 72 after multiple chemo treatments. Like skydiving without a parachute.

 

[Lakewood90712]

Because of some snafu at Anthem Blue Cross, Lena's health insurance was cancelled. It may have happened because we got new credit card numbers, but there was no notification. It doesn't seem reasonable that her coverage would go away without them telling us (she's actually had not coverage since Nov 30).

So, my question is: what should we do until Feb 1? Should Lena stay home so that she can't get in a car accident? Is there anyway to get temporary health insurance?

Thanks!

So what was the reason they gave
for no notification when you talked to Anthem on the phone ?. California has a weak department of insurrance, but illegal practice of cancelation without notice is one of those things they do actually enforce.

 

[NW-Bound]

Okay, I signed up for the one-month plan. Nice to be rich.

It's a safe thing to do before you take her out for a spin in that new Tesla to see how fast it can accelerate.

 

[TromboneAl]

So what was the reason they gave
for no notification when you talked to Anthem on the phone ?. California has a weak department of insurrance, but illegal practice of cancelation without notice is one of those things they do actually enforce.

Lena spent an hour on the phone with them, and I'm not sure of the details. Could we fight it? Probably, but I don't want one day to go by without insurance.

There's just no way we got a notification by email or snail mail and didn't notice it.

We'll file a complaint, but I don't want to sue for them to reimburse the $545.

 

[TromboneAl]

It's a safe thing to do before you take her out for a spin in that new Tesla to see how fast it can accelerate.

Right. Good thing we didn't know that she wasn't covered when we drove to pick it up.

 

[ERD50]

Lena spent an hour on the phone with them, and I'm not sure of the details. Could we fight it? Probably, but I don't want one day to go by without insurance.

There's just no way we got a notification by email or snail mail and didn't notice it.

We'll file a complaint, but I don't want to sue for them to reimburse the $545.

I agree that if there is any question about being able to reconcile the snafu, you did the right thing to get some coverage somehow. Then fight it.

It sure seems like cancelling someone should be hard. I'd research it, your state should help, and now that you have coverage, you can call and be calm about it.

Maybe they didn't get through your call blocker? Maybe you need to set that up to go to voice mail if they don't press "1" to get through to the ringer. Once every couple days you could check and clear it. A little bit of a pain, but should go pretty fast.

-ERD50

 

[RobbieB]

All I have to do is be late a week and the written notice comes. Then another before they shut you down. So 2 written notices at least for Kaiser.

 

[pb4uski]

I just talked with someone from HealthForCalifornia.com. We could get a one-month plan for $545 that would cover up to $500K for hospital, etc. $5K deductible.

Advice?

It doesn't seem reasonable Anthem shouldn't take responsibility.

Are talking about an ACA policy or a Medigap policy? Either way, you could call the insurance commissioner's office, explain what happened and ask that the policy be reinstated effective December 1 and see what they say. You would have to pay the premiums for December 2019 and January 2020.

If it can be reinstated, then you can cancel the short-term policy.

 

[ivinsfan]

How did you actually find out her insurance was cancelled?

In your first post you say maybe it was because your CC numbers changed. Did you give them the new numbers? For someone reading here wondering how on earth this happens it would be good to know the story....

FWIW HI premiums are the one bill we have the insurer pull directly from our checking account. Puts the onus on them, in our minds we eliminate the CC company from the process. A better question is why they didn't give you notice of the failed payment or loss of HI, you can't be the only ones this happens to.

 

[kaneohe]

Have you talked to boomer benefits about this?

 

[TromboneAl]

How did you actually find out her insurance was cancelled?

Went to RiteAid to get our second Shingrix.

In your first post you say maybe it was because your CC numbers changed. Did you give them the new numbers? For someone reading here wondering how on earth this happens it would be good to know the story....

Lena called and gave them the new numbers. I'll be researching it more later.

FWIW HI premiums are the one bill we have the insurer pull directly from our checking account. Puts the onus on them, in our minds we eliminate the CC company from the process. A better question is why they didn't give you notice of the failed payment or loss of HI, you can't be the only ones this happens to.

They did tell us of the failed payment, and Lena gave them the new numbers.

I agree about using bank instead of credit card. I think I've done that for almost anything. Lena set the HI payments up.

 

[ivinsfan]

Ugh, Al sounds like the perfect storm of things going wrong. I'd be doing some complaining.

How did you get them to reenroll her, were you still inside the window for open enrollment, that's the scary part.

 

[youbet]

FWIW HI premiums are the one bill we have the insurer pull directly from our checking account.

I'm not a big fan of "auto-payment" pulling directly from our checking account or pension/SS checks either. But, like you, I go that route for HI payments where I can because of the massive headache that can result from a missed payment or two, possibly the result of geezerhood-induced-inattention on my part. :

I have my Part D IRMAA, Part B IRMAA and Part B premium deducted from my monthly SS. I have my Part D premium and my Part B supplement auto-deducted from my checking account. Fairly straight forward.

DW's situation is a bit more complicated and requires more attention including making 13 manual payments (12 monthly payments and 1 annual payment). Her SS is too small to cover even her Part B premium. So, I have her entire monthly SS go towards her Part B premium and IRMAA and the aggregate shortfall balance is billed to her by the SS folks and is due every November (Several kilobux). Her Part D IRMAA is due monthly and she receives a monthly bill from SS which I pay electronically but not automatically. She's in a Medicare Advantage plan (so no Part B supplement or Part D premium) and the Medicare Advantage premium is deducted from her pension check.

Despite being on Medicare/Medicare Advantage, there is nothing simple about getting it all paid for!

Al..... I'd get rid of of the CC as a middle man in your system. You don't need the points that bad and it just adds another opportunity for something to go wrong, as you learned. Hope it all works out for Lena with a minimum of grief.

 

[TromboneAl]

How did you get them to reenroll her, were you still inside the window for open enrollment, that's the scary part.

Open enrollment is through Jan 15.

 

[audreyh1]

Open enrollment is through Jan 15.

Lucky for you in CA. Not here in TX. Most states end Dec 15.

 

[PoorOldCountryBoy]

Went to RiteAid to get our second Shingrix.



Lena called and gave them the new numbers. I'll be researching it more later.



They did tell us of the failed payment, and Lena gave them the new numbers.

I agree about using bank instead of credit card. I think I've done that for almost anything. Lena set the HI payments up.

+100 for the bank ACH payments setup vs credit card payments. I'm a huge fan of using credit cards for points etc, but all you need is a fraud alert and number reissue to give you a huge headache (like the one you have right now ). Things like cable are one thing but medical is one of those things that need to be in place.

And don't forget to make sure that sufficient funding is going to the account in an automated fashion....

 

[fh2000]

Open enrollment is through Jan 15.

From the website:


Important Dates
Covered California

•Open Enrollment begins October 15, 2019 and ends January 31, 2020.

•To start coverage by February 1, 2020, apply by January 31, 2020.



Medi-Cal

•You can apply for Medi-Cal year-round.