COBRA administrator incompetent. Do I lose out if I elect ACA instead?

[Boose]

Hi all,
DH's former Megacorp assured him that I could keep our Cigna plan under COBRA as a sole enrollee (DH is covered by VA). This would be in effect from now until we leave CA in May/June, at which point I will enroll in ACA in New Hampshire because this Cigna plan is California-only.

The COBRA administrator bswift sent me enrollment info that lacks a username, so I can't log into their site. I can log in with DH's old benefits username, but if I do so, I can only enroll as employee +1. I've spent >2 hours on the phone with the breathtakingly ignorant call center and they have not been able to enroll me as a single person. Every employee has a different answer; the most helpful one has "escalated my case to the tech team so that they can create a username."

However, I logged into Covered California and was able to select Blue Cross, with my same doctor and specialist, for a lower monthly cost than COBRA. This seems like it will work for the few months that I need it to - but, wise retirees of ER.org, am I forgetting something? Is COBRA that great? I am prepared for the pain of transferring prescriptions and re-authorizing appointments under the new insurer. Thanks!

 

[gauss]

I was under the impression that COBRA is not that great if you can get access to an ACA plan and a subsidy (ie your income is less than 400% of the Federal Poverty Level) instead.

I think leaving a job is a 'qualifying event' so that you don't need to wait for the annual enrollment period to enroll in an ACA plan -- but the devil may be in the details.

-gauss

 

[cathy63]

If you've already paid part of Cigna's deductible for the year, you woudn't get any credit for that when you go on Blue Cross and you'd start over at $0 on their deductible. We're only one month into the year, so hopefully you haven't had too many health insurance claims yet. Also, co-pays and prescription costs might be different on the Blue Cross plan. If none of that affects you, then I don't see any reason to stick with Cigna.

Covered CA is taking enrollments for 3 more days, so you have to decide pretty quickly. I did read an article in today's Washington Post that says Biden is expected to reopen the exchanges via an executive order later today, but I'd still try to get enrolled now in case there's a legal challenge later.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

COBRA is not automatically a better solution for health care. It is ONE of the ones you should consider, for sure.

In my case, my COBRA coverage was going to cost me $500 more per month than my subsidized ACA plan would be. Yes, the deductible was higher with the ACA plan, but the copays were the same. Without my ACA subsidy, both COBRA and the ACA plan would have been approximately the same price (within $50/month) of each other.

For me, the primary down side of taking the ACA coverage was that the covered network was now quite local to my home's geographic location. My employer's plan via COBRA would have continued to have had nationwide coverage (UnitedHealthcare). With my ACA plan, emergency care is covered anywhere, but if I need non-emergency care while on a trip, then that would be out-of-network and therefore cost more.

I went with an ACA plan instead of COBRA.

 

[LXEX55]

My COBRA administrator was a group of idiots called Benefit Focus. Almost monthly I had insurance problems as they would fail to notify my carrier to continue my coverage even though they never once failed to automatically deduct payment from my checking account. Finally, commencing in January, my company dropped them and we go a new administrator. So far so good.

 

[Boose]

Thank you all. Cathy63, I haven't had any claims this calendar year so I'm good on that front. I guess I'll log into Covered CA and finish my application.

 

[Markola]

We are currently on COBRA and went that route because it also includes dental and vision in our case. YMMV.

 

[augam]

Year ago this time I needed to see a urologist (specialist) and wanted a board certified professional which I researched found and was very happy with.

That being said during the initial phone call to schedule appointment naturally the subject of "what insurance do you have" comes up. I promptly replied BCBS. "which BCBS" "ACA OR employer" I was asked. I then asked what is the difference. The nurse responded "we do not take ACA BCBS"

Consequently when I retired last June I elected very expensive Cobra coverage thtough my previous employer.

Not sure what I am going to do come this November when that expires.

 

[tb001]

For a few months it’s probably fine to do the aca. Coverage for us through the aca is much cheaper than through cobra, even without subsidies, but the aca network is much more restricted.

And the cobra benefits administrators are horrible. We have had several really bad screwups and been told so much misinformation that has ended up costing us 1000s extra. Somehow it seems more egregious when you’re writing a 3k check to them every month!

 

[fh2000]

Year ago this time I needed to see a urologist (specialist) and wanted a board certified professional which I researched found and was very happy with.

That being said during the initial phone call to schedule appointment naturally the subject of "what insurance do you have" comes up. I promptly replied BCBS. "which BCBS" "ACA OR employer" I was asked. I then asked what is the difference. The nurse responded "we do not take ACA BCBS"

Consequently when I retired last June I elected very expensive Cobra coverage thtough my previous employer.

Not sure what I am going to do come this November when that expires.

Before we retired, we went to Covered California and chose a listed Blue Shield of California plan. There are scores of plans sold by Blue Shield of California, only a few are for ACA. I called Blue Shield of California and checked our doctors, close-by hospitals, pharmacies, urgent care facilities. We made sure all of the providers are in network from that plan before we finalized on Covered California.

YMMV.

 

[swakyaby]

Year ago this time I needed to see a urologist (specialist) and wanted a board certified professional which I researched found and was very happy with.



That being said during the initial phone call to schedule appointment naturally the subject of "what insurance do you have" comes up. I promptly replied BCBS. "which BCBS" "ACA OR employer" I was asked. I then asked what is the difference. The nurse responded "we do not take ACA BCBS".

I had a similar experience to this. When I retired, I decided to pay for expensive Cobra coverage for the first year just because I wouldn’t have to worry about whether all my physicians were in-network. But when I called my GI doc for a routine screening procedure, the receptionist ask for my Blue Shield number. Within 2 seconds of reciting it to her, she practically hissed, “That’s Covered California! We don’t accept Covered California!” I explained that it was Cobra insurance purchased through my employer. Five seconds later, she offered me an appointment. I felt like I had gone from valued patient to felon back to valued patient in a 30-second period.

 

[augam]

I had a similar experience to this. When I retired, I decided to pay for expensive Cobra coverage for the first year just because I wouldn’t have to worry about whether all my physicians were in-network. But when I called my GI doc for a routine screening procedure, the receptionist ask for my Blue Shield number. Within 2 seconds of reciting it to her, she practically hissed, “That’s Covered California! We don’t accept Covered California!” I explained that it was Cobra insurance purchased through my employer. Five seconds later, she offered me an appointment. I felt like I had gone from valued patient to felon back to valued patient in a 30-second period.

yeah it sucks. I have a lot of research to do prior to November to see how this plays out.

 

[Clover5]

My very recent experience was that Cobra was about $1000 less than a similar un-subsidized ACA policy. So don’t count out Cobra as the cheaper option in some cases.

 

[augam]

My very recent experience was that Cobra was about $1000 less than a similar un-subsidized ACA policy. So don’t count out Cobra as the cheaper option in some cases.

Unfortunately it is only 18 months then you have to make a decision as to where to go for insurance.

 

[Aerides]

This is my third year on the ACA. I have literally never been asked if my insurance was employer or ACA provided. I select providers from those available in my plan to start with, which are clearly listed on BCBS website.

Sure, when I swapped from my employer (and then Cobra) AETNA plan to my ACA/BC plan, I had to change some providers. But I knew that when I picked the best plan for me. I didn't call and try to make an appointment with a provider that I knew didn't take my new plan.

ACA plans are different names and codes. I say I have plan ABC123, that's all. Never has anyone hissed, but then I've never tried to book with anyone that doesn't claim to take it.

 

[Clover5]

Unfortunately it is only 18 months then you have to make a decision as to where to go for insurance.

I am an avid user of healthsherpa.com, obsessively checking ACA options to see if I can lower our costs. Frankly my best hope is probably that Medicare moves the start age to 60, a total long shot.

 

[augam]

I am an avid user of healthsherpa.com, obsessively checking ACA options to see if I can lower our costs. Frankly my best hope is probably that Medicare moves the start age to 60, a total long shot.

60 would be nice. Right now I'd settle for 62.

 

[augam]

This is my third year on the ACA. I have literally never been asked if my insurance was employer or ACA provided. I select providers from those available in my plan to start with, which are clearly listed on BCBS website.

Sure, when I swapped from my employer (and then Cobra) AETNA plan to my ACA/BC plan, I had to change some providers. But I knew that when I picked the best plan for me. I didn't call and try to make an appointment with a provider that I knew didn't take my new plan.

ACA plans are different names and codes. I say I have plan ABC123, that's all. Never has anyone hissed, but then I've never tried to book with anyone that doesn't claim to take it.

I am confident I could choose an ACA plan that includes my PCP and wifes doctors. When it comes to specialists for something you have never needed service for however I am a bit skeptical based on that conversation I had with the front desk for a specialist I needed.

It definitely has me thinking though. You won't know until you actually talk to that specific doctors billing department imo.

ymmv

 

[RunningBum]

I've never been asked whether I have an ACA or employer plan either. When I'm signing up for ACA each year, I always check to see if my preferred doctors are part of the plan. Of course what I don't know is whether some specialist that I don't know I need until sometime during the year accepts it. So far, no issues. Sounds like it's different in some areas.