help with obtaining health care for my family.

July 20, 2018 4:23 AM

my existing company is about to go out of business... they're keeping me on for another 2-4 weeks, or i can leave early. My new potential job doesn't offer health insurance, so i think i have to go on the open market to get my own health insurance. Is that right? If so, do i go through ObamaCare (as my wife has epilepsy)? I"m in PA now, but planning on moving to Florida in the next 2-4 weeks.

So the company i've work for, for the last 3 years is about to go out of business. Hasn't filed yet, but will eventually (unless forced prior). Basically, i'm still employed (getting paid & insured)... I'm staying, because i'm still getting paid & have insurance for me & my family (wife w/epilepsy & 2 kids; 18 girl/14 boy).

I may take a job that offers okay salary, but no health insurance.

So i'm thinking i should give 2 weeks to my existing company (which would take me into August)...hoping then that me & my family are covered through the end of August (I can confirm this with my HR dept.)

We're moving out of Pa & going back to live in Florida (where we lived for 15 years).

Now i'm figuring out how to get the best health insurance i can for my family, at the least cost of course. My wife has epilepsy, and takes specific meds for it... so i need to ensure the new health insurance covers this & their prescription drug plan doesn't charge us an arm & a leg for her meds.

I'm not sure what i should do in finding the best health insurance. Also, should i even consider signing up for Cobra? I know that's super expensive.... But if i find my own health insurance, will they cover my wife with her pre-existing condition? & do i search the Obama care website? or search elsewhere?

I could use some solid advice here.....

thank you.

posted by foodybat to Work & Money (8 answers total)

Keep COBRA until you move to Florida. Losing your job is a qualifying event, so you can sign up for ACA coverage outside of open enrollment. Healthcare.gov is where you need to start. Hopefully your income will not be too high for subsidies, as unsubsidized rates are going to be insane next year due to various acts of sabotage against the ACA by the Trump administration. The fortunate thing is that you will be able to get insurance, as pre-existing condition exclusions are illegal, as are different rates (with a few exclusions- smoking).
posted by rockindata at 5:18 AM on July 20, 2018 [4 favorites]

COBRA, in basic terms, is you signing up to stay on your employers current group plan and paying 102% of the monthly premiums yourself (in contrast with now when your employer is paying a portion of your monthly premium for you as a benefit of employment). If your employer truly goes out of business then their group plan will no longer exist and COBRA will not be an option. Just be aware of that and make plans for the possibility of COBRA not being available to you.
posted by ZabeLeeZoo at 5:43 AM on July 20, 2018 [1 favorite]

Be aware that insurance is basically available by state. If you get marketplace insurance while you're still in PA, you'll need to get new insurance when you move to Florida. Also be aware that with signing up for coverage via Healthcare.gov, there will be a gap between signing up and the coverage becoming effective (sometimes as much as six weeks, depending on when you sign up).
posted by lazuli at 6:57 AM on July 20, 2018 [1 favorite]

Oh, and the marketplace insurances still are not allowed to discriminate based on pre-existing conditions or to set caps on coverage, so yes, your wife's epilepsy should be covered.
posted by lazuli at 6:58 AM on July 20, 2018 [1 favorite]

Your wife may want to talk to her doctor and see if she can get extra medication (like a 90-day supply, if that's allowed) while she has coverage, just in case something gets wonky.
posted by lazuli at 7:03 AM on July 20, 2018 [4 favorites]

For your younger child, you might want to look into the children specific coverage in FL.
posted by k8t at 7:34 AM on July 20, 2018 [1 favorite]

Since the marketplace is state based, it might not make sense to register in PA, depending on if you can do COBRA (which may or may not be possible if they go out of business.)

Regardless, the marketplace websites are fairly confusing. I understand that public libraries have people that can help you with navigating the website.
posted by k8t at 7:36 AM on July 20, 2018

I know you didn't ask about this but if you resign from your job you might not be able to get unemployment even though they were about to lay you off. Unemployment could possibly keep you afloat while you look for a job that DOES include decent health insurance. Also, if you do accept a job in Florida will it pay for relocation? Just some things to consider.
posted by mareli at 8:18 AM on July 20, 2018 [2 favorites]