Is There Any Possible Way to Make this Work?

TN_agent

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I think this guy is screwed, but he said one of his friends was able to make it work without a gap so I am second guessing myself (I have a suspicion he is mistaken, but at the rate they change things on healthcare.gov, maybe he is right?)

18 months ago he retired, his large-group employer coverage ended the last day of employment, not the last day of the last month of employment. So March 12. April 12th, whichever..

Takes COBRA. Good thing he did because he had two heart attacks during the last 18 months.

Now he has his notice that COBRA is running out October 12th. If we apply through the exchange today, will they put it into effect October 1st since technically he will still have coverage at that point? He says a friend got it without a gap. I haven't run into this situation recently so can't say for sure if they have changed something.

I didn't think they would put it into effect until November 1st, But this guy is a major heart attack risk apparently, so if there is a way to get it October 1st, I am all for it. He will do 3 weeks of a short term plan, but the real risk for him is pre-existing stuff.

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OK, just talked to the guy again.

He said the COBRA person told him he could request termination of COBRA and they would send a letter ending it Sept. 30 so he could get an October 1st start date.

What I am concerned about is hc.gov asking for proof of loss of coverage (which they do now), and him having a letter from the COBRA saying "we received your request to terminate coverage Sept 30th", and the marketplace not taking it because it was "voluntary". two weeks early.
 
I don't think he should end his COBRA voluntarily for the reasons you outlined. He could wind up with a 1/1/2017 effective date.

Have him chug flax oil and vitamin C and meditate for the days he will be uninsured. He will poop a lot but it should lower his risk factors.:goofy:

I have had several clients that have been in similar situations. I don't know why they didn't put something in the regs that covered people whose former coverage ended in the middle of the month without lapse.
 
1. Large Employers determine term dates and they match with start dates. So if you can start mid month, you can term mid month. If you start on the 1st, you term EOM.

2. The last day to get 10/1 was 9/15. Unless you have a magic trick. Term date is irrelevant.

3. If he thinks he knows more than you and his "buddy" was able to do it, walk away. Give him the number to hc.gov and say "good luck!" Let them tell him no.
 
2. The last day to get 10/1 was 9/15. Unless you have a magic trick. Term date is irrelevant.

Well, if his term date was today (or Sept. 30th), we would be able to get a 10/1 start date, though. With loss of coverage, however, I have never seen them start it earlier than the first of the month after you lose coverage. This is a shortcoming in the law for other-than-last-day of month terminations.

As Alston says, I am not going to suggest he term COBRA early. He was receptive after I explained that you can't voluntarily term COBRA and still get on marketplace mid-year. I asked a few more questions about his buddy, and he didn't know any more details. It is possible his friend's last day of work was much later in the month, or he was using COBRA term as a way to get on some sort of group coverage. He takes $1500 in medicine a month, better a 3 week gap than a 3 month one when hc.gov comes back and denies the special enrollment because the dates don't match up.
 
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