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I lost my job. I had group health insurance through it. My two kids were under my plan. I had health, vision, and dental.
My wife has insurance through her retirement plan. She only has health. She goofed at signup and does not have vision or dental and cannot get it from them in the future.
My wife can add me and the kids to her health right now because I lost my job. That will be the cheapest and we will do that.
The kids and I will need vision and dental through COBRA or the ACA/Obamacare.
Can we get just vision and dental through COBRA or the ACA or must we also get health?
Can I add vision and dental for my wife to my COBRA or ACA?
Is coverage retroactive to the first day I lose my regular insurance? I ask because not only can I not find the answer, but the COBRA company won’t be notifying me of anything or providing me the opportunity to sign up until as much as six weeks after I lose my regular insurance.
Should I avoid the ACA because of the Trump administration’s slow dismantling of it? Or since I expect to be employed again shortly (let’s predict a worst case scenario of six months), will their actions not affect things enough to worry? (This is not a political question. It is a practical one. There is no need to discuss whether you are for or against Obamacare here. And it would be off-topic such that you could be banned from City-Data.)
Under COBRA you continue the insurance you had at work before you were let go. You cannot "add vision or dental" unless they were part of your regular medical insurance coverage, in which case you would be paying COBRA for the entire insurance bill.
If you opt for COBRA I believe it is retroactive but I don't remember for sure.
I have nothing political to say here, but I think it is a bit presumptuous of you as a relatively new member here to say members could be banned for going off topic.
The Question is do you "Need" or just "Want" Vision / Dental
Often the premium , co/pays, deductible, max pay out. is more then most will spend out of pocket,
If payed with cash. You just need to "Bargain" some when you go to Vision/Dental providers when you pay with Cash/Check (if you pay by credit/debit card expect to have ~5% less discount) , you have to ask for a 30-40% discount, (What the insurance companies get on there prices).
OP if you were previously enrolled in your Plan's dental and vision plans and they were separate from the medical plan you can elect to only be covered for dental and vision insurance under COBRA. When your employer sends out your COBRA election form just check dental and vision.
I lost my job. I had group health insurance through it. My two kids were under my plan. I had health, vision, and dental.
My wife has insurance through her retirement plan. She only has health. She goofed at signup and does not have vision or dental and cannot get it from them in the future.
My wife can add me and the kids to her health right now because I lost my job. That will be the cheapest and we will do that.
The kids and I will need vision and dental through COBRA or the ACA/Obamacare.
Can we get just vision and dental through COBRA or the ACA
Because your wife has employer-subsidized insurance, you are ineligible for subsidies if you purchase a marketplace plan.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nielloeb
Can I add vision and dental for my wife to my COBRA or ACA?
No. She was never part of your insurance.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nielloeb
Is coverage retroactive to the first day I lose my regular insurance? I ask because not only can I not find the answer, but the COBRA company won’t be notifying me of anything or providing me the opportunity to sign up until as much as six weeks after I lose my regular insurance.
You have 45 days after the loss of your insurance to sign up for COBRA regardless of what happens to your health. Coverage will be retroactive.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nielloeb
Should I avoid the ACA because of the Trump administration’s slow dismantling of it? Or since I expect to be employed again shortly (let’s predict a worst case scenario of six months), will their actions not affect things enough to worry?
Do you or family have serious vision or dental problems like ongoing orthodontic work? If not, don't bother with insurance. Semi annual dental exams should be about $100 each and separate insurance is available for that. Ask you dentist about plans.
You have 45 days after the loss of your insurance to sign up for COBRA regardless of what happens to your health. Coverage will be retroactive.
A person has 60 days to elect COBRA and then another 45 days after the election to make the first payment.
Quote:
Q8: How long do I have to elect COBRA coverage?
If you are entitled to elect COBRA coverage, you must be given an election period of at least 60 days (starting on the later of the date you are furnished the election notice or the date you would lose coverage) to choose whether or not to elect continuation coverage.
Q15: Who pays for COBRA coverage?
When you elect continuation coverage, you cannot be required to send any payment with your election form. You can be required, however, to make an initial premium payment within 45 days after the date of your COBRA election (that is the date you mail in your election form, if you use first-class mail). Failure to make any payment within that period of time could cause you to lose all COBRA rights. The plan can set premium due dates for successive periods of coverage (after your initial payment), but it must give you the option to make monthly payments, and it must give you a 30-day grace period for payment of any premium.
Here are my calculations for dental and vision insurance:
Dental annual cost without insurance for my family of four for normal stuff twice a year: $1128
Dental annual cost of insurance premiums and co-pays: $1714.56
Dental annual cost of insurance premiums and co-pays, plus two cavities or one crown: approximately $1714.56
Vision annual cost without insurance: $840
Vision annual cost of insurance premiums and co-pays: $105.12
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