OMG -Panic! Missed insurance premium...now coverage terminated!

[mmoons]

Jessica-

My stomach has been in knots for you. I hope you get good news soon.

Maureen

[BonnieR]

I'm with Maureen, waiting to hear the outcome.
Keep the faith.

[Mtngrl]

Jessica,

I have no advice to add, but I'm pulling for you. What a nightmare.

[jml]

No resolution yet...The 3 months of premiums is still sitting in my account despite sending them the requested form to authorize them to debit my account as of Monday. I immediately followed up my email, but there was a short delay in the when lady assisting me received it.
I just got an email from her inquiring about the dates I was out of town and also offered to provide her with the credit union statement that showed the date the deposit was made, the hold on the deposit and the 10 days later when it was finally released.
It's pretty ridiculous, right now they're sitting on a small $230 deposit that I made on 5/18 until 5/30.
I guess if I had a pile of money in a seperate account to cover all kinds of overdrafts this would have never happened, but I'm on very limited income and a embarassed to say often live hand to mouth, holding my breath each month that I've worked enough to make enough money to cover my bills.
I hate this disease for this reason, not only is my health compromised and my medical bills (I call them "Living Expenses")are exorbitant, but my livelihood and ability to support my self is always a struggle.
My family helps me, a lot, but I just wish I could help myself. Who would I have become if this disease had not stolen so much?

Feeling sad today, but trying to keep the faith~

Jml

I just contacted the insurance commissioner and they suggested
I start a complaint, but I'm not sure I want to initiate that until I
get a response from the insurance lady who's been helping me.
thoughts?

[BonnieR]

Tough call. I would be keeping detailed notes of everything for sure. But might it be too early to start an action if you feel the insurance rep is sincere in her help. But can you really count on that? I think it is very hopeful that they requested the premium payments. That and your documentation of the chain of events sounds very favorable.
Is there a time frame in which to file a complaint with the state? I suggest having everything lined up, but not pull the trigger yet.
Do you have ANY coverage at the moment? That's an important consideration too, of course.
Keep the faith.

[Estelle]

Hi Jessica,

I haven't been on in a while but when reading this post recalled a somewhat recent change in legally permissible holding times on checks by law. The Federal Reserve under Regulation CC (you can google this) sets out very specific limits on holding time. Although the term used is bank, the regulation defines "bank" to include certain insured credit unions, or ones eligible to be insured. The permitted hold times are limited, and depend on whose check it is, whether it is local (in the same banking area as defined in the regulation), etc. Here is a link to a description of the regulation http://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/regcc/regcc.htm.

It may also help you to know, if you can, when the payer's institution actually PAID the check. It was probably significantly less time than the "hold" because most items are now cleared electronically.

It may make a more persuasive argument for retroactive reinstatement of your insurance, if you can show that your deposit was timely and but the credit union did not follow federal regulations.

Also if the CU is continuing to hold your deposits, then knowledge of regulation cc may help. If the institution somehow is not covered by regulation cc, you may want to consider moving your account to an institution that is covered. . Feel free to PM me if you want.

[rhondalea]

I am hopeful that this will be resolved without further ado, but if you do run into a wall, these folks might be able to help:

http://www.patientadvocate.org/index.php

I've been down this road. It was a long time ago, and unlike your situation, it was entirely my own fault, but I know how terrifying it can be. I hope that your insurance company will do the right thing and reinstate you immediately.

[jml]

Update...
The insurance co drafted the 3 months of premiums out of my account yesterday, to cover April, May & June. While it's not an official reinstatement I would think they would have only drafted the amount for April, since that is the month that I missed when they cancelled.
Still holding breath but crossing fingers~

Jml

[BonnieR]

That sounds SO positive! Keep the faith.

[rhondalea]

They'll have one heck of a time justifying those drafts if your insurance has not been reinstated. My bet is that the universe has been set right again.

Is your insurance accessible online? Can you log in and check? Perhaps that would give you peace of mind.

[AlaskaAngel]

Thanks for the detailed info in your thread, Jessica. Hopefully it is provides a heads up to help everyone work at staying ahead of these problems.

Being out-of-state for crisis/treatments for more than a couple of weeks can get complicated. A friend and I had always been each other's back-up in dealing with the mail, but by chance both of us were diagnosed with different health problems at the same time and were repeatedly hundreds of miles away from home getting medical treatment, dealing with all the unexpected additional costs on top of the delays in dealing with the mail. Paying more in advance whenever leaving is tough, but it can make all the difference.

I've got my fingers crossed for you,

A.A.

[Jackie07]

Seems to be a pretty common thing. I think I had missed our premium a couple of times either when the automatic draft didn't go through or credit card got cancelled (I was the one who cancelled it when there's worry about getting 'spammed' - but my brain doesn't remember everything... and I'm usually very slow in taking actions.)

http://www.healthinsurancecoverage.c...e-premium.html

i am a lic agent and with my company the first 30 days of the no premium payment the grace period will still cover you, day 31 to 60 the policy goes into late pay meaning the policy is not covering you at the moment but it has not yet actually lapsed and a payment received during the late pay period will put the policy back on track without any questions or requalifications. Day 61 my company does require a reinstatement request will ask health status at that point, and that can deny reinstatement at that point. Hope this helps

[sarah]

I do hope this has worked out well, it is so worrying.
I agree with Vicki that since this is so critical, setting up an automatic payment to the insurance company would be the best solution.
We are all anxious to know what happens. I can't imagine that they could drop you.
Keeping fingers well crossed for you, you certainly don't need this worry.
health and happiness
hugs and love
sarah

[msmanuf]

Good wishes coming your way..

[lshill929]

Hey Jessica, you have received a positive response from the insurance company. Don’t get panicked now. Everything will be done as expected. Best of luck!

[NEDenise]

Jessica,
Thinking of...and praying for you. Your latest update sounds very promising! I feel in my gut that this will all work out in your favor...I just want it to do that SOONER, rather than later. You don't need, or deserve, this stress!
Sending you a warm, reassuring hug through cyber-space!
Denise

[jml]

GOOD NEWS! CRISIS AVERTED!!!
Just talked to the lady @my insurance co who has been helping me. I missed her call earlier this morning and as I was dialing her back I was so nervous. But now I'm sooo relieved!
From our conversation it seems that their intention was to cancel my policy - yes CANCEL, but she said that their decision from Friday (when I noticed they had drafted my account for 3 mos. of premiums???) "didn't sit well (with her) all weekend..." so she went to talk to her boss' boss and was able to get the decision reversed and they're reinstating my policy, with no lapse in coverage (the month of April til today). When I thanked her I started to cry, which made her start to cry and when we hung up she wished me well and said to just take care of me and get better.
So scary. And so ruthless of the insurance company to be so anxious to drop me -even though I've never been late on a payment in the 10 years I've been with them -I'm not surprised that they would WANT to drop me considering how much they've paid over the past decade in my medical bills! And to be fair, they have never delayed a decision or denied any treatment or surgery. So thankful to be able to even have/afford insurance as a self employed person that isn't able to work full time.
I always had faith that this would resolve well and I'm just so relieved that it was without a fight and I have my insurance angel to thank.
And thanks to you guys for the information and your support and optimism.
Now let's get this Health Care Plan figured out so that we can all feel safe that our healtcare will always be protected!

Always Keeping the Faith~

Jml

[StephN]

So glad you got this outcome. Big companies are faceless, but they are run by human beings who sometimes actually DO have a heart.

AS the lady said - reduce your stress now and concentrate on healing.

[BonnieR]

That brought tears to my eyes. And restored my faith in humankind. What a close call. I do hope some good comes of it and serves to remind us all to be sure our ducks are always in a row. I hope automatic payments can be arranged somehow.
Keep the faith. (which you did!)