Am I not going to have medical benefits? How will I get medicine?

[Imight]

My COBRA coverage with my company is going to end in Sept. Earlier this year I was on short term disability with my company. I tried to sign up for Medi-Cal and they gave me benefits, but theres a $3,000 ded. They said it was because I made enough money thru my short term and that I already had medical coverage.

Well now Im starting long term (SDI?) but my insurance is going to stop. Should I re apply for Medi-Cal or will the outcome be the same? Im actually making more now on long term than I did short.

What am I going to do for medical insurance tho? I dont qualify yet for medicare.

[sjean423]

I know cobra is expensive, but you might be able to get it extended. When I was on Cobra, I found out that you could be on it longer that 18 months if you were disabled. I never looked into all the details, because my husband changed jobs, to one with insurance benefits, so I didn't need to extend the Cobra, but check into it, it may be an option.

This might be of interest to you: http://www.helpwithbenefits.com/Articles/cobra.htm

[WM]

If there are Rx's that you take on a regular basis, check with the companies that manufacture them. Most companies have assistance programs for people without Rx coverage. I know that doesn't solve the whole problem, but might be a temporary help with part of it.

[Eileen]

I was on Cobra after I left my job and they extended it to 27 months because I left on a disability. That meant that Medicare came into the picture before I ran out of benefits. Check on this, as it may be your former employer either doesn't know or is witholding the information from you.

[sjean423]

Also check Walmart, TArget and possibily some others for their $4 prescription list. It is limited, but if even some of what you take is on there, it will help a bit.

[-scott-]

just sign up for a private policy a month or so before your COBRA runs out. you can't be denied due to pre-existing conditions, providing you don't allow any lapse in coverage. it will be expensive, but you'll be covered. start doing research now.

[linerd27]

This friend of mine is in short being forced to live in a nursing home because of financial qualifications with medicaid. He makes too much on disability to qualify for community medicaid so he can only get nursing home medicaid (Texas). DARS helps sometimes with his expensive meds and in short he just stocks up as he is able to...shoot I've even gone to the doc for certain things he needs, it's ridiculous but I emphazise "NEED". Good luck with all that!

[uscmolly]

just sign up for a private policy a month or so before your COBRA runs out. you can't be denied due to pre-existing conditions, providing you don't allow any lapse in coverage. it will be expensive, but you'll be covered. start doing research now.

Scott, I may be wrong here, but I believe that under a private policy they can turn you down. It's only under group policies are you protected from being turned down due to pre-existing conditions.

Imight, I think you can extend your Cobra, as others have said. Since you likely need to worry about more than just prescriptions, this is probably your best bet. Is there an HR person you can contact? If you don't have any luck there, PM me and I can ask a good friend who is an insurance broker. He'll know what to do to extend it.

This is what I found (for Cal-Cobra): If you meet Social Security's rules for disability (http://www.disabilitybenefits101.org/glossary_item.aspx?item-id=762), Cal-COBRA can be extended to 29 months. However, you are responsible for paying a maximum premium of 150% for the additional 11 month extension.