The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
(COBRA), a law created in 1986, gives workers (and
members of their family) who lose their health
insurance benefits the right continue their group
health insurance for a limited period of time under
circumstances such as voluntary or involuntary job
loss, reduction in hours, transition between jobs,
divorce, adoption and death.
Generally, the employee pays up to 102% of the premium
cost for the same policy; this is still usually less
expensive than buying an individual insurance policy.
There are three basic aspects for qualifying for
COBRA: the qualifying event, the insurance plan
coverage and the qualified person.
Each aspect is taken into consideration when applying
for COBRA and you must elect to either apply for COBRA
or waive your rights to COBRA within 14 days after a
qualifying event.
You must also have been in the group insurance plan
during your employment to be eligible. Although there
are exceptions, generally you may continue to pay your
own premiums to keep COBRA coverage intact for up to
18 months.
Companies who have fewer than 20 employees, State or
Federal employers or employee organizations may not
offer COBRA coverage.
Check with your health insurance administrator to see
if you may qualify. You may also have this information
readily available in your group health insurance
policy or in your company handbook.
Although it may be expensive, the cost of being able
to keep your group insurance coverage rate may be well
worth it.
9/28/2009
What Happens When I Retire?
Health insurance considerations weigh heavily on the
minds of people wanting to retire before Medicare
coverage kicks in at age 65. Many people put off
retirement simply because the cost of an individual
health insurance policy is too great on a limited
income.
What options for health insurance do you have if you
choose to retire before age 65? Although they are not
required to, you may be able to get COBRA-like
coverage from your employer.
As an added retirement benefit, your employer may
allow you to pick up the premium on your policy;
although paying 100% of your premium may initially
appear to be an expensive option, purchasing an
individual policy apart from a group may be even more
costly and not provide you with the level of coverage
you previously had.
Some companies are offering basic high-deductible
insurance reasonably in the hopes that they will be
able to enroll you in Medicare Part C (supplemental
insurance) when you retire.
Another option is to budget and save money to cover
your anticipated medical costs for the time period
between retirement and age 65. If you are in very good
health, this may be a viable alternative for you.
Pre-planning for retirement is an important issue; the
earlier you start planning, the better. Realizing the
Medicare does not pay all of your medical expenses,
you should budget money for medical expenses even
after retirement.
minds of people wanting to retire before Medicare
coverage kicks in at age 65. Many people put off
retirement simply because the cost of an individual
health insurance policy is too great on a limited
income.
What options for health insurance do you have if you
choose to retire before age 65? Although they are not
required to, you may be able to get COBRA-like
coverage from your employer.
As an added retirement benefit, your employer may
allow you to pick up the premium on your policy;
although paying 100% of your premium may initially
appear to be an expensive option, purchasing an
individual policy apart from a group may be even more
costly and not provide you with the level of coverage
you previously had.
Some companies are offering basic high-deductible
insurance reasonably in the hopes that they will be
able to enroll you in Medicare Part C (supplemental
insurance) when you retire.
Another option is to budget and save money to cover
your anticipated medical costs for the time period
between retirement and age 65. If you are in very good
health, this may be a viable alternative for you.
Pre-planning for retirement is an important issue; the
earlier you start planning, the better. Realizing the
Medicare does not pay all of your medical expenses,
you should budget money for medical expenses even
after retirement.
The Importance of Keeping Good Files
As in everything that involves money, it is important
to keep good records of your medical expenses for many
reasons.
Keeping track of deductibles, especially for a family,
can be time consuming, but is an important task. Every
policy has different deductibles for lab work,
hospital emergency room visits, hospital stays, doctor
visits and x-rays, and it is often difficult to track.
Keeping track of your out-of-pocket expenses becomes
very important when it comes time to complete your
taxes. It also comes in handy to know what your
expenses are for medical care when choosing to change
companies or policies.
A file folder that includes a copy of the policy,
copies of your medical bills and copies of what your
insurance company has paid on those bills is usually
all you will need.
When a bill comes for a provider, you will usually
receive a statement from your insurance company
showing what portion of the bill they paid, and many
times providers write off the remainder, if it is not
a large sum.
If you visit several doctors, you may want to have a
file folder for each doctor or provider.
Insurance companies do occasionally make mistakes, but
they are usually on top of their game. Having a copy
of the policy handy makes it easy to check deductible
levels and whether a particular service is covered or
not.
It also serves as a ready resource for telephone
numbers, website information and your contact at the
insurance company.
to keep good records of your medical expenses for many
reasons.
Keeping track of deductibles, especially for a family,
can be time consuming, but is an important task. Every
policy has different deductibles for lab work,
hospital emergency room visits, hospital stays, doctor
visits and x-rays, and it is often difficult to track.
Keeping track of your out-of-pocket expenses becomes
very important when it comes time to complete your
taxes. It also comes in handy to know what your
expenses are for medical care when choosing to change
companies or policies.
A file folder that includes a copy of the policy,
copies of your medical bills and copies of what your
insurance company has paid on those bills is usually
all you will need.
When a bill comes for a provider, you will usually
receive a statement from your insurance company
showing what portion of the bill they paid, and many
times providers write off the remainder, if it is not
a large sum.
If you visit several doctors, you may want to have a
file folder for each doctor or provider.
Insurance companies do occasionally make mistakes, but
they are usually on top of their game. Having a copy
of the policy handy makes it easy to check deductible
levels and whether a particular service is covered or
not.
It also serves as a ready resource for telephone
numbers, website information and your contact at the
insurance company.
The Basics
Health insurance, in this modern world of cancer,
heart disease, AIDS, diabetes, asthma, ageing and
other diseases and afflictions, it is essential to
have some sort of health insurance.
There are many levels of health insurance coverage
available; unfortunately, like most things in life,
you get what you pay for, and good coverage can be
very expensive.
The two most common terms in referring to health
insurance are premium, which is the amount paid for
the insurance, and deductible, which is your
out-of-pocket expense before the insurance pays your
provider.
For instance, you might pay $300 premium per month for
family coverage, and your deductible might be $250 per
person, which means if you fell and broke your ankle
and went to the hospital emergency room, you would be
required to pay the first $250 of the bill.
You can purchase very basic catastrophic coverage,
which would carry a very high deductible and the
premium would be less than comprehensive coverage
which would have a higher premium and lower
deductible.
It pays to invest the time to investigate various
insurance options, taking into consideration your age,
your general health and the health of your family
members.
Your employer may offer group health insurance, which
is most likely the least expensive option for you, and
usually the premium is deducted from your paycheck.
Health insurance is a calculated risk; can you afford
the premiums or are you willing to risk that you would
pay less out of pocket for medical expenses in a year
than the premiums would cost? Consider carefully.
heart disease, AIDS, diabetes, asthma, ageing and
other diseases and afflictions, it is essential to
have some sort of health insurance.
There are many levels of health insurance coverage
available; unfortunately, like most things in life,
you get what you pay for, and good coverage can be
very expensive.
The two most common terms in referring to health
insurance are premium, which is the amount paid for
the insurance, and deductible, which is your
out-of-pocket expense before the insurance pays your
provider.
For instance, you might pay $300 premium per month for
family coverage, and your deductible might be $250 per
person, which means if you fell and broke your ankle
and went to the hospital emergency room, you would be
required to pay the first $250 of the bill.
You can purchase very basic catastrophic coverage,
which would carry a very high deductible and the
premium would be less than comprehensive coverage
which would have a higher premium and lower
deductible.
It pays to invest the time to investigate various
insurance options, taking into consideration your age,
your general health and the health of your family
members.
Your employer may offer group health insurance, which
is most likely the least expensive option for you, and
usually the premium is deducted from your paycheck.
Health insurance is a calculated risk; can you afford
the premiums or are you willing to risk that you would
pay less out of pocket for medical expenses in a year
than the premiums would cost? Consider carefully.
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