Voluntarily resigned my position, my last day is today. From what I understand, the company will pay out my two weeks, but my insurance coverage ends today. My new job requires I be employed for 30 days before being eligible for their health insurance.

What's my best option for the gap in coverage?

Sign up for COBRA immediately?
Since the gap will be less than 60 days, do I let it ride and only sign up for COBRA retroactively if something happens?
Do I look at a state insurance exchange/medishare plan?

Any advice here would be great. Thanks.

For the month of September did you pay for any portion of the monthly premium? You might check to see if your employer coverage terms cover you until the end of the month. If you aren't covered you might seek a pro-rated reimbursement.

You resigned. Was it a "constructive" resignation? You may qualify for unemployment benefits. You might consider filing for those benefits.

No personal experience in action but read into it some when I thought it might happen. I think COBRA retroactively makes the most sense.

You should be covered for the rest of Sept. COBRA can then be done retroactively.

They claim my benefits end today, even though I gave a finish date of 9/18 and they are paying me through 9/18.

aggie_wes said:

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They claim my benefits end today, even though I gave a finish date of 9/18 and they are paying me through 9/18.

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The 60 days looks attractive. No roofing.

Do nothing. If you need to make a medical claim, you can retroactively get COBRA benefits. Its either a 60 day window or 90. I cant remember.

I've never had an employer do that - not pay my health insurance for the last 2 weeks that I'm employed.. They are choosing to not pay medical insurance for you while you are still an employee. Are you working for the last 2 weeks or did they give you two weeks pay in lieu of working those last two weeks? Some employers don't want you hanging around after you give notice.

That being said, it sounds like you don't need to do anything unless something happens and you need to use your COBRA. The Gap in your insurance coverage will be shorter then the waiting. At your new job. And you're allowed ashort break in health coverage.

They walked me out early and are paying a lump sum in lieu of making me work out the 2 weeks.

aggie_wes said:

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They claim my benefits end today, even though I gave a finish date of 9/18 and they are paying me through 9/18.

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I would do some research on this. I think they are feeding you a line of *****

Should go through end of month.

I'm not sure that it really matters. Assuming he starts his new job and the waiting. Ends before he has to make a cobra payment it doesn't matter. It's kind of a moot point. Now if he gets sick in that timeframe he's going to have to pay for cobra.

Last job I resigned from, insurance benefits ended the day they walked me out as well. I don't think they have to, but they can.

Just roll the dice and if you get sick call ahead and pay out of pocket.

By law they have to provide coverage until the last day of the month you are terminated (voluntarily or involuntarily), so you should have coverage until Sept 30. At that point you are cobra eligible and have 90 days on which to file.

My example was, I left in March, was covered through March, but my new benefits didn't kick in until May so April I was not covered. My hr person told me to not file cobra until something happens and I need coverage, essentially saving that premium. You have 90 days to file and don't need to have it in place prior to a medical need. This saved me $900 in cobra premiums for April.

Where is this law? I looked at my BCBS account and it claims to be active, but we have Dr's appointments scheduled and I want to make sure we're covered. I suppose I should call BCBS and ask.

The law part is cobra - my bad. Check your benefits summary plan and it should be clear there. Each company's arrangement with their healthcare provider is different

Been out of arranging benefits for the company for a while, but I believe above is correct and that it will be how the plan is written. Most common is if you are employed any portion of the month, your benes go through end of month. It would be somewhat rare for the other, but I do not think its against the law.

Now, if they withheld benefits deduction from any pay in the month, then you need to get that back under the above or at least be pro-rated. If benefits continued until last day of month, then I have been known to double-dip the benefits deduction if they only worked a portion of the month since they are getting the benefit for entire month (so if pay was semi-monthly and deduct was $50/check, then if you quit on the 15th I would deduct $100 for the entire month).

O'Doyle Rules said:

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Do nothing. If you need to make a medical claim, you can retroactively get COBRA benefits. Its either a 60 day window or 90. I cant remember.

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THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is a letter they will send you from the benefits administrator stating when the LAST DAY YOU CAN PURCHASE COBRA AND RETROACTIVELY BUY IT. IT WILL BE APPLIED TO THE DAY YOU WERE FIRED. Note that some employers terminate your coverage on the day you were fired and some terminate it at the end of the month. DONT ASSUME ANYTHING. ASK when they will stop your health coverage.

aggie_wes said:

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Voluntarily resigned my position, my last day is today. From what I understand, the company will pay out my two weeks, but my insurance coverage ends today. My new job requires I be employed for 30 days before being eligible for their health insurance.

What's my best option for the gap in coverage?

Sign up for COBRA immediately?
Since the gap will be less than 60 days, do I let it ride and only sign up for COBRA retroactively if something happens?
Do I look at a state insurance exchange/medishare plan?

Any advice here would be great. Thanks.

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This is what I've always done....good or bad, right or wrong.

Make sure COBRA is applicable before deciding to go that route:

"A COBRA-eligible employee must be enrolled in a company-sponsored group health insurance plan on the day before the qualifying occurs. The insurance plan must be effective on more than 50% of the employer's typical business days in the previous calendar year. The employer must continue to offer its existing employees a health plan for the departing employee to qualify for COBRA. In case of the employer going out of business or the employer no longer offering health insurance to existing employees (for instance, if the number of employees drops below 20), the departing employee may no longer be eligible for COBRA coverage."

Also, on newco plan, if there is a 30-day wait, see how it applies exactly. Is it wait 30 days, enroll then its effective the 1st day of following month. That is not uncommon. Or it can be retro to the 1st of the month of the month in which you reach 30 days.