That's a very good suggestion.  I used to belong to national professional businesswomen's group that offered insurance.  It wasn't cheap, but as I had no fulltime job at the time, it was the best thing I could come up with.  However, the deductibles were high and the insurance company covered me with several restrictive riders.  But then the insurance would be a security blanket in a time of an emergency.

Jan, the one thing you do NOT want to do is to let a laspe in coverage occur for two reasons. 1) The law of averages and Murphy's Law pretty much dictate that if a medical emergency should occur, it'd happen when you're not covered, and 2) The Health Insurance Portability and Access Act  (HIPAA) ensures waiver of pre-existing condition clauses as long as you do not have a gap in coverage for longer than a year.  After a year, the pre-existing condition clause can come into play, and you may not be able to find coverage for any pre-existing condition (including CP) until you will have been covered under the new policy a year.  Trust me, I'd take COBRA before I'd let that happen.

Now, under the law, you have 45 days after the date of the COBRA eligibility notice to elect COBRA coverage.  After that you will need to make your payments on timely basis (within 30 days after each due date) so to keep your coverage active.   The timliness of your payments are usually determined by the postmark date of your mailing, and if the postmark is even one day late (after the 30-day grace period), the company can cut off your coverage.  The law ensures the coverage rights of the beneficiary, but Congress also saw to it that companies don't carry unnecessary burdens on their balance sheets.

Sorry if this is all too much information, but it's hard for me to stop once I get started, and I've had to explain this soooo many times....

Kat



On Tue, 30 Apr 2002 16:28:22 -0400 Susan Moskowitz <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Jan,
    I don't know that type of training or professional background you have,
but if  it is one which is represented by a national professional
organization or a union, check out the benefits of joining. Many
professional organizations offer their members various types of insurance.
It won't be cheap, but it may be cheaper than COBRA.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jan Nottmeier" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, April 29, 2002 5:36 PM
Subject: Health Insurance help needed


> Hello friends, I am writing you for advice.  I will have NO Insurance
> starting May 1.   I turned 24 on April 27th.  I have been covered by my
> mother's insurance.  I was under the understanding that I would be able to
> continue on her policy because of my CP.  I had my doctor send them a
latter
> saying I had CP.  I applied for SSI.
>
> As it turns out my Mother's insurance company John Deer of Tennessee
denied
> me coverage because I have been denied SSI (I have well over $2,000 in a
> bank account in my name).  I have some money saved up for a rainy day  I
> have tried contacting attorney but have had no luck.  They are like sorry
we
> can't help you.  Do you know any insurance company that would take me?  Or
a
> good attorney that could advice me?
>
> The only option I have been given is to continue with COBRA.  But I heard
> that is very expensive.  My coverage will be terminated on April 30.
Thank
> you for any advice.  Please feel free to forward this letter.  If you need
> my address and phone number e mail me.
>
> Thank You,
>
> Jan Nottmeier
>
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos:
> http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx
>