Cobra Archives - EZ.Insure

Unemployed? Get the Cheapest Functional Health Insurance With The Help of EZ

Updated on August 8th, 2023 by Cassandra Love4 mins read

If you’ve lost your job or have chosen to leave your job, you’ve probably also lost your health insurance. And while it might seem like health insurance will be out of your reach now that you’re no longer working, there are very affordable plans for unemployed people. In fact, these plans can cost as low as $47 per month or less! The best way to find these types of plans is by working with an EZ agent, who can compare plans with great rates and coverage in your area within minutes, for free!

Special Enrollment Periods

If you lose your job, you qualify for what’s known as a Special Enrollment Period, because losing your job is considered a qualifying life event. This means you won’t have to wait for the annual Open Enrollment Period to purchase a plan. Not only that, but you will have many options available to you, whether you would like a short-term plan with a higher deductible, which is generally for healthier people, or are looking for a more comprehensive plan for you and your family.

Your Options

If you’ve lost your job, you have a variety of options for insurance coverage, including:

ACA Plans– You can head to your state’s Marketplace and look for private health insurance. You will have multiple coverage tiers to choose from, each with a different cost-sharing structure. Because of the wide range of plans available, you should be able to find an affordable plan that meets your coverage needs. In addition, you cannot be denied coverage if you have a pre-existing condition.
Joining a family member’s plan– Another option for you would be to hop onto your spouse’s plan if they are working and have insurance. If you lose your insurance, you are automatically qualified for a 30-day Special Enrollment Period to get on your spouse’s employer-based plan.
Medicaid- States look at your current income when deciding if you qualify for assistance from this program. Eligibility varies by state, but the monthly income limits are generally $1,470 for an individual and $3,000 for a family of four.
COBRA– With this program, you can extend your employer’s coverage for up to 18 months. However, it is important to note that COBRA can be quite expensive because you are required to pay your entire premium.
Short-term health insurance– These plans will provide you with quick coverage, since you can sign up at any time, but the benefits are not as comprehensive as those of traditional health insurance. You will have a lower monthly premium and a higher deductible with these kinds of plans, and there is usually a medical questionnaire to qualify for them.

More Affordable Coverage?

While the price of employer-based health insurance varies, it’s generally fairly affordable for people with families, because your employer usually chips in and pays some money towards your premiums. But the good news is that you might be able to get even more affordable coverage while you are unemployed through the ACA Marketplace.

You can get coverage regardless of your income, and the amount you’ll pay is based on your expected annual income. That means, if your expected income is $0 right now, you could get a plan for as low as $47 a month. In addition, you might also qualify for premium tax credits, which are subsidies that reduce the monthly cost of your health insurance and also give you cost-sharing reductions.

If you have recently lost your job, EZ will help you find an affordable plan to cover your healthcare needs. We will provide you with a personal agent who will compare all available plans in your area, and find one that fits your needs. To get started, enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak with an agent, call 888-350-1890. Our promise is that we will help you find a great, affordable plan, so you can remain healthy and safe during these hard times. EZ’s services are free of charge because our focus is on making sure that you feel supported throughout your search for insurance, not on making money off of you.

Can Your Health Insurance Company Drop You?

Posted on July 13th, 2020 by Cassandra Love3 mins read

Insurance companies are businesses, and, like most businesses, they have terms and conditions of service. It is possible for your health insurance to legally drop you, but only under certain circumstances. If this happens to you, don’t worry! EZ.Insure will help you find a new plan, for free. We know that you have a lot on your plate and might be feeling overwhelmed, so we will take that weight off your shoulders and help you to get back on your feet.

Reasons You Can Be Dropped

persons head with a mask on in a circle with the word "fraud" underneath it — *Insurance fraud is one of the reasons that your health insurance company can drop you.*

Insurance companies cannot drop you for any reason; there needs to be just cause. Here are some circumstances when you can be legally dropped:

Insurance Fraud– If you misuse your insurance policy in any way, then you have broken your contract with the company. Fraud can include faking your identity, or filing false claims.
Failure To Pay– Obviously, if you fail to pay your premiums, then you will be in breach of your contract with the insurance company. If you have employer-based insurance that is not automatically deducted from your paycheck, then make sure to pay your premiums on time. If you are lucky, you will have a grace period for unpaid premiums, although most insurance companies do not offer this.
Losing/Quitting Your Job – If you receive your health insurance through an employer, and lose your job, then your health insurance company has a right to drop you. You also forfeit your coverage if you voluntarily leave your job.

While some people may think that you can get denied for filing too many claims, that is a myth. As long as your claims are legitimate, then you don’t have to worry. Health insurance companies in the U.S. are regulated by many laws on both the state and federal levels, so you can be sure that you won’t lose coverage just for making claims on your policy.

picture with a road and 2 arrows poiting to an orange box with possibility written above it — *EZ will find you an insurance plan after your company drops you. You have other possibilities.*

There Is Hope

If you do end up losing your health insurance, don’t worry, you have options, and time. When a health insurance company drops you, they must give you 30 day’s notice before terminating your plan. You also qualify for a special enrollment period when you lose health insurance, so take this time to compare other plans and sign up for a new one. If your plan was employer-based, then check to see if your employer offers COBRA plans to temporarily replace your old plan.

Finding a plan can be overwhelming, especially after losing coverage, but we’re here to help. If you are lost, then EZ will provide you with a personal agent who will compare all the available options in your area, for free. Our highly trained agents will listen to your healthcare needs and budget, and advise you on which plan checks all of your boxes. To get free instant quotes on all plans, enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak to an agent, call 888-350-1890. No hassle, no obligation.

Divorce & Health Insurance

Posted on July 10th, 2020 by Cassandra Love4 mins read

Going through a divorce can be one of the most stressful and emotional experiences in someone’s life. Not only are you losing your partner and the dreams you shared, but also your sense of normalcy and routine. The future might suddenly seem very uncertain, and that includes uncertainty about the status of your health insurance. If you were on your spouse’s insurance plan, your children will still be covered, but you will not be once your divorce is finalized. Don’t worry, though, there are options available to you. Just make sure to look for a new plan within 60 days of losing your coverage.

COBRA

A temporary, but expensive, option for coverage after your divorce is applying for COBRA through your spouse’s employer. The COBRA law allows you to stay on your ex’s plan for up to 36 months after your divorce. The downside is that employers do not contribute to the cost of COBRA premiums, so you will have to pay the full amount. This might be quite expensive for you, but it could be a useful stopgap until you find a private insurance or Marketplace plan.

Employer Coverage

If you are working and your company offers health insurance, contact your HR department to find out if you can get on your employer’s insurance plan. Because you lost coverage due to your divorce, you can enroll into a new plan without having to wait until the open enrollment period. Companies with 50 or more full-time employees may be required to provide health coverage to all full-time employees, so if you work for a large company, consider looking into their plan.

Individual Insurance

illustration of caucasian woman with blue shirt and head gear sitting in front of a white computer. — *Working with an agent gives you the ability to ask about any discounts or lower rate options available in your area that you might not be able to access on your own.*

You can purchase your own individual health insurance plan for you or your family. You can purchase these plans over the phone or online with an EZ.Insure agent. Getting your own insurance plan will cost less than going with your ex’s COBRA plan, and it might offer more coverage. An EZ agent can sit down and go through all of the options with you, and compare them to the price and coverage you would receive through COBRA. Working with an agent also gives you the ability to ask about any discounts or lower rate options available in your area that you might not be able to access on your own. There are a variety of plans available, so there is no doubt EZ will be able to find you a plan that meets your needs and budget.

Marketplace Insurance Plan

Normally, if you want to enroll in an ACA Marketplace plan, you have to wait until the Open Enrollment Period from November 1 – December 15. But getting divorced qualifies you for a Special Enrollment Period, which means you have 60 days after losing coverage to sign up for a new plan. If you fail to sign up for a new plan within 60 days, you will have to wait until the regular Open Enrollment Period to sign up. You can shop your state’s exchange for an ACA-approved “metal tier” plan, and possibly find a discounted rate based on your income and location. If you are considered low-income, then you might qualify for some subsidies to help you save money.

Divorce is a devastating thing to go through, and losing your health insurance will only make things more stressful. EZ.Insure can make the process of getting covered less daunting, so that you have one less thing to worry about. Our agents are highly trained and can search for and compare insurance quotes within minutes at no cost to you. Our services are always free and there is never any obligation. Allow us to help you manage your health insurance needs during this difficult time – we promise to find you the best plan for your needs. To get free quotes online, enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak to an agent, call 888-350-1890.

COBRA and Employers: What You Need to Know

Posted on June 26th, 2020 by Cassandra Love5 mins read

It is an unfortunate fact that, with recent events, we have seen unemployment numbers in the U.S. soar to an all-time high. And, because our healthcare system often ties coverage to employment, there are a lot of people who are facing losing their jobs and their access to healthcare. If you, like many employers, are worried about your employees in these uncertain times, remember that they do have the option to continue their coverage for a period of time if you are forced to lay them off or reduce their hours. Under COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985), employees can continue the coverage that you provided for them. Your employee is responsible for paying the premiums, but there are still things you need to know and do when it comes to COBRA.

Who Is Required to Offer COBRA

The first thing to look at is which employers are actually required by federal law to provide COBRA coverage. If you run a private-sector business with 20 or more employees and you offer a group health plan, then COBRA laws apply to you and you should be including information about it in your employee handbook.

However, even if you think the above doesn’t apply to you and your business, there are a few other things to take into account. COBRA counts part-time worker equivalents, meaning it will combine the hours of 2 or more part-time workers to make 1 full-time worker. So, for example, if you have 2 employees who each work 20 hours, they will be counted as 1 full-time employee under the law.

Another consideration is that, even if you are not federally required to provide COBRA coverage, you may be required to do so by your state. Some states have adopted “mini-COBRA” laws that cover employees working for businesses with group health plans but who have fewer than 20 employees. Make sure to check and see if your state has one of these mini laws.

Who Is Eligible

african american man with his arm over a caucasian woman with both watching a little boy running ahead of them. — *Qualified COBRA beneficiaries include employees’ spouses and dependents.*

So, as described above, if you meet those criteria, you will need to continue offering all COBRA-eligible employees the same health plan that they were offered while they worked for you. You cannot change their level of coverage; to do so, you would have to change the coverage for everyone who works for you. All qualified beneficiaries need to be offered the same healthcare. Qualified beneficiaries are:

Employees, including part-time employees, as long as they were signed up for the plan at least a day before an event that causes them to lose their insurance (or “qualifying event”). Qualifying events include termination of employment, reduction in hours to part-time, your business going bankrupt, a divorce, and aging out of a parent’s plan.
Employees’ spouses
Employees’ dependents
Retirees (unless they are eligible for Medicare)
Partners in a partnership

Even if your employee does not choose to continue coverage under COBRA, their dependents or spouse can elect to keep the coverage.

You do not have to provide continuing coverage for the following:

Employees who were not yet eligible for your group plan
Employees who chose not to participate in your group plan
Anyone who is enrolled in Medicare

Notifying Your Employees

As an employer, you don’t have any duty to continue contributing to premiums under COBRA. Your employee will have to pay the entire monthly premium: in fact, you can charge them up to 102% to help cover your administrative costs. Your most important duty is actually notifying your employees of their rights, and contacting your insurance carrier. Communication is key when it comes to COBRA. You need to:

Inform employees of their COBRA rights when they sign up for your group plan
Inform employees again about their rights to continued coverage after their qualifying event
Notify the insurance company within 30 days that an employee has lost coverage (except in the case of divorce or change of status for a dependent, then you have 60 days). The insurance company then has 14 days to contact the COBRA-eligible person.

Your employee will have 60 days to decide whether they want to continue their coverage. If they accept the coverage, it will last for 18 months (if they lost their job or had their hours reduced) or 36 months (if they lost coverage for any other reason).

Being the boss means taking care of your employees, and that includes making sure they have access to healthcare. Knowing what their rights are and communicating those rights to them even after they’ve left your employment is also an important part of your job, and if you fail to stay on top of things like COBRA, you will find yourself facing fines.

At EZ.Insure, we know there’s so much involved with running a business, and insurance is just one more thing to worry about. We’d like to help shoulder some of that burden, by offering you instant access to your own knowledgeable agent – for free! If you have any questions or are looking for a new plan, get started with us by entering your zip code in the bar above, or you can speak to an agent by calling 888-615-4893.

COVID-19 Crisis: Health Insurance Options If You’ve Lost Your Job

Posted on April 7th, 2020 by Cassandra Love4 mins read

As millions of Americans lose their jobs due to the coronavirus crisis, they also find themselves without health insurance coverage. According to a report by FOX Business unemployment claims have hit a record 3.3 million. Because many Americans get health insurance through their employers, a pandemic is an especially scary time for people who have lost their jobs. However, if you do find yourself without health insurance, there are a couple of options you can look into.

A pair of shoes stanfing in front of three white arrows on asphalt pointing in different directions. — *Even though you have lost your job and health benefits due to the coronavirus pandemic, you still have options for health insurance coverage.*

Marketplace

Normally a person can only sign up for Marketplace health insurance, or the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchange, during the open enrollment period from November 1 to December 15. However, under certain circumstances, people can qualify for a special enrollment period, which would allow them to enroll in a plan outside of open enrollment. Losing your job is considered a qualification for a special enrollment period.

There is only a 60 day window to apply for an ACA plan after you lose your job. These plans can be costly, but if you fall into a low-income bracket, then you may qualify for a subsidy.

Recently, the Trump administration decided to not create a special coronavirus-related re- enrollment period for the uninsured in 38 states. Only 11 states and the District of Columbia run their own exchanges, and have opened enrollment to allow laid-off workers to get subsidized health insurance. These 11 states are:

California
Colorado
Connecticut
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Nevada
New York
Rhode Island
Vermont
Washington

It is important to note that just because these 38 states will not re-open enrollment for everyone, does not mean that you do not qualify for special enrollment. If you were laid off from your job, you can enroll into the ACA exchange because that is one of the qualifications for a special enrollment period.

COBRA

health insurance words in a blue box with a green check in a box next to a yes — *You can choose to extend your employer’s health insurance for up to 18 months following unemployment.*

There is also a way to keep your employer-based coverage even if you lose your job. Under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, or COBRA, you can extend your coverage for up to 18 months. However, it is important to note that COBRA can be quite expensive, because you are required to pay your entire premium. For example, if individual health insurance coverage costs roughly about $600 monthly, then normally your employer would pay for about $500 of that. Without an employer contributing to the cost of monthly premiums, you will be left to pay for it all.

Medicaid

If you lose your source of income, you may qualify for Medicaid. Medicaid is government sponsored, and offers coverage for low-income individuals and people with disabilities. States look at your current income when deciding if you qualify for assistance from the program. Eligibility varies by state, but the monthly income limits are about $1,470 for an individual, and $3,000 for a family of four. You can apply online, or call your state’s Medicaid office, and will usually receive a response within 24 hours.

If you have recently lost your job due to the coronavirus pandemic, EZ will help you find an affordable plan to cover your health needs. We will provide you with a personal agent who will compare all the available plans in your area, and find one that fits your needs. To get started, enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak with an agent, call 888-350-1890. Our promise to you is to help you find a plan, so you can remain healthy and safe during these hard times. EZ’s services are free of charge, because our service is focused on making sure that you feel supported throughout your health plan shopping journey, not on making money off of you.