Question:
What is Cobra?

my husband job is changing insurance on july 1, my surgery is july 12 need to know what is cobra!    — dee W. (posted on June 6, 2001)

June 5, 2001
COBRA is a federal law that allows you to keep your existing insurance coverage for up to 18 months following a job loss, resignation, etc. You have to pay the full cost of coverage, which means you pay the normal amount plus whatever your husband's company was paying. Even though he was paying for "family" coverage, you only have to pay for individual coverage if you're only concerned about your surgery. If you've already been approved, COBRA is the way to go.
   — PT LawMom

June 6, 2001
Many employee based health insurances offer Cobra to employees who leave their employment. What it allows you to do is to keep health coverage for a specified period (usually not more that 18 months). You would have to pay the entire premium (plus a fee in some circumstances). If, however, your husband is going to be covered in his new job right away, you probably would not want to take advantage of Cobra.
   — Norma S.

June 6, 2001
I called my husband employer today to find about cobra because he was just laidoff. She told me that we would have to get a different policy with a different company than what we have. Which actually turns out to be better for me because our existing policy fights tooth and nail against this surgery the new one is easier to get approval.
   — Tonia B.

June 7, 2001
Your situation is tricky. In February I signed up for COABRA coverage for a 3 week period between jobs. It took two months before CoabraServ sent me a bill. Then, it took 2 months for them to inform my OLD employer that I had paid. In fact, they claim they have faxed my old employer, but my old employer insists that they never recevied any fax. If and when they receive a fax, they will need to inform my OLD insuarnace that I am in fact covered. And guess what, my old insurance has up to 2 months to process the cliam!! During this period my providors have NOT been paid (this was not for major surgury though, so it is not a big deal in my case). My advise: Have you husband stay on the job 2 more weeks if he possibley can. Some companies will cover him until the end of the month if he just stays past the first of the month. If this is not possible then you next option is to delay surgury while you wait for approval of a new insurance company. Finally, if you do use Coabra be prepared to have the insurance company tell your providors that you coverage has expried and that they don't know anything about you COABRA coverage. Be prapred to pay in CASH and wait several months to be reimbursed. I do NOT reccomend this option.
   — Chris H.

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