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Lost my employer insurance due to being laid off and now need to get a check up ... what are my options?

Deception

Deception

Member
Nov 15, 2017
8,430
Pretty straightforward, but like many Americans I lost my employer insurance due to being laid off because of COVID and of course now I feel like I have something that legitimately needs to be checked out but have no insurance to do so. What are my options that won't bankrupt me? I live In Illinois since this will likely make a difference.
 
Nude_Tayne

Nude_Tayne

Member
Jan 8, 2018
3,672
earth
User banned (one week): Trolling across multiple posts in a serious topic
What country are you from?


Just kidding.
 
CrazyDude

CrazyDude

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,737
Look into hospital systems the have deals where you don't have to pay if you earn a certain amount. Cleveland clinic has thing where I get free everything in the system. It doesn't cover medicine but it covers tests and check ups.
 
finalflame

finalflame

Product Management
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
8,538
Apharmd said:
We deserved to be mocked for our for-profit health care system that kills tens of thousands each year.
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Someone who is currently on the receiving end of a shitty fucking systems does not deserve to be mocked in a thread asking for help. It's at the very least in extremely poor taste. Not to mention it's a worthless driveby shitpost. What a take.

OP, look at COBRA and Medicare.

You can read more about getting a Medicare or finding a suitable health insurance plan through the marketplace here: https://www.healthcare.gov/unemployed/coverage/

Deets on COBRA are here:

COBRA Coverage and Health Insurance Marketplace® Options | HealthCare.gov

If you're unemployed you may be able to get an affordable health insurance plan through the Marketplace, with savings based on your income and household size. See options if you have COBRA insurance coverage at HealthCare.gov. Keep your plan or move to Health Insurance Marketplace® coverage...
www.healthcare.gov
 
sfedai0

sfedai0

Member
Oct 27, 2017
9,956
Is it something serious that needs a specialist or tests? IF not, I would just hit up a clinic.
 
Nude_Tayne

Nude_Tayne

Member
Jan 8, 2018
3,672
earth
finalflame said:
Someone who is currently on the receiving end of a shitty fucking systems does not deserve to be mocked in a thread asking for help. It's at the very least in extremely poor taste. Not to mention it's a worthless driveby shitpost. What a take.

OP, look at COBRA and Medicare.

You can read more about getting a Medicare or finding a suitable health insurance plan through the marketplace here: https://www.healthcare.gov/unemployed/coverage/

Deets on COBRA are here:

COBRA Coverage and Health Insurance Marketplace® Options | HealthCare.gov

If you're unemployed you may be able to get an affordable health insurance plan through the Marketplace, with savings based on your income and household size. See options if you have COBRA insurance coverage at HealthCare.gov. Keep your plan or move to Health Insurance Marketplace® coverage...
www.healthcare.gov
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How do you read that and see mocking of the OP? Give me a goddamn break. You people.
 
OP
OP
Deception

Deception

Member
Nov 15, 2017
8,430
finalflame said:
Someone who is currently on the receiving end of a shitty fucking systems does not deserve to be mocked in a thread asking for help. It's at the very least in extremely poor taste. Not to mention it's a worthless driveby shitpost. What a take.

OP, look at COBRA and Medicare.

You can read more about getting a Medicare or finding a suitable health insurance plan through the marketplace here: https://www.healthcare.gov/unemployed/coverage/

Deets on COBRA are here:

COBRA Coverage and Health Insurance Marketplace® Options | HealthCare.gov

If you're unemployed you may be able to get an affordable health insurance plan through the Marketplace, with savings based on your income and household size. See options if you have COBRA insurance coverage at HealthCare.gov. Keep your plan or move to Health Insurance Marketplace® coverage...
www.healthcare.gov
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Thank you for the resources, I will definitely look into these tomorrow. I previously had Medicare when I was in college and that worked well enough just wasn't sure if I would still be eligible since I did earn income for 3 months. Guess I'll have to give them a call tomorrow.


sfedai0 said:
Is it something serious that needs a specialist or tests? IF not, I would just hit up a clinic.
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It kind of is and I've had tests done before and nothing was found wrong but the same issue keeps coming up so I feel like I need more tests done. It also doesn't help that I'm starting to get paranoid after seeing several people my age being diagnosed with cancer and other serious diseases lately and don't want to put this off and have it be something really bad.
 

Deleted member 4346

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
8,976
finalflame said:
Someone who is currently on the receiving end of a shitty fucking systems does not deserve to be mocked in a thread asking for help. It's at the very least in extremely poor taste. Not to mention it's a worthless driveby shitpost. What a take.

OP, look at COBRA and Medicare.

You can read more about getting a Medicare or finding a suitable health insurance plan through the marketplace here: https://www.healthcare.gov/unemployed/coverage/

Deets on COBRA are here:

COBRA Coverage and Health Insurance Marketplace® Options | HealthCare.gov

If you're unemployed you may be able to get an affordable health insurance plan through the Marketplace, with savings based on your income and household size. See options if you have COBRA insurance coverage at HealthCare.gov. Keep your plan or move to Health Insurance Marketplace® coverage...
www.healthcare.gov
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Click to shrink...

COBRA is absolutely untenable. This is horrible advice.

OP, in all seriousness, try to apply for the ACA exchange depending on state with your reduced circumstances. If you have children, try to get on full state-subsidized coverage.
 
Ctrl Alt Del

Ctrl Alt Del

Banned
Jun 10, 2018
4,312
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Would just a check up be that expensive there? Genuinely asking because I've heard how costly medical treatment can cost in the States but I thought it'd be more restricted to actual procedures/treatments and routine stuff be more affordable.
 
BloodHound

BloodHound

Member
Oct 27, 2017
9,007
Ctrl Alt Del said:
Would just a check up be that expensive there? Genuinely asking because I've heard how costly medical treatment can cost in the States but I thought it'd be more restricted to actual procedures/treatments and routine stuff be more affordable.
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A lot of reputable places won't see you without insurance. Checkups are expensive without insurance.
 
leder

leder

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,111
First off, I'm really sorry to hear that OP. Your options are COBRA (disgustingly expensive), Medicaid (if you qualify), the ACA exchange, or paying out of pocket. Honestly since it's already October, it may just be cheaper to pay for out of pocket unless your state has good medicaid coverage. If you're getting some tests run again insurance probably won't pay for them anyway unless they are expressly recommended by a doctor. Even if they do, you'll probably have to pay up to a deductible (likely $1-2k), which will just reset in January.
 
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Kuro

Kuro

Member
Oct 25, 2017
20,658
Ctrl Alt Del said:
Would just a check up be that expensive there? Genuinely asking because I've heard how costly medical treatment can cost in the States but I thought it'd be more restricted to actual procedures/treatments and routine stuff be more affordable.
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It can cost nearly $150 without insurance just for a doctor to see you for 15 minutes and tell you nothing is wrong until you insist on doing tests. Then you're looking at hundreds more for simple urine/blood tests.
 
jb1234

jb1234

Very low key
Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,232
If you're not making an income, you should be eligible for Medicaid. Look into that first. I feel like a lot of people in this thread are confusing that with Medicare (which has an age limit unless you're disabled).
 
Deleted member 21339

Deleted member 21339

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
13,691
Lots of bad info in here: Medicare is for 65+ or under 65 disabled (mostly). Medicaid is for low income. Cobra is only available to you if offered thru the job you lost. OP: how long ago did you lose job-based coverage? The 'Special Enrollment Period' from when you lost coverage is only 60 days for ACA compliant plans. If you're outside the 60-day window you're screwed and will have to wait until the annual 'Open Enrollment Period' which doesn't begin until 11/1 with plans going into effect 1/1/21.
 
Jersey_Tom

Jersey_Tom

Banned
Dec 2, 2017
4,764
If you ABSOLUTELY need to get a general diagnostic test done to check things like blood count, cholesterol levels, urine analysis, and a comprehensive metabolic panel, you can schedule a test today with Quest Diagnostic and get that done for ~$150 if you can afford that. Just be sure to be fasting about 8-12 hours before they take your blood so they can get a more accurate reading. As far as a full physical, you could try a walk-in clinic.
 
GraphicViolets

GraphicViolets

Resettlement Advisor
Member
Oct 25, 2017
985
Fuck COBRA definitely go to Healthcare.gov (the ACA exchange). it will tell you if you qualify for Medicaid and if not will give you subsidies towards the insurance you choose.

I wish i never touched COBRA as i would have saved a ton of money by trying healthcare.gov first
 
EnlightenedMint

EnlightenedMint

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,391
GraphicViolets said:
Fuck COBRA definitely go to Healthcare.gov (the ACA exchange). it will tell you if you qualify for Medicaid and if not will give you subsidies towards the insurance you choose.

I wish i never touched COBRA as i would have saved a ton of money by trying healthcare.gov first
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Yeah, I don't see the point of COBRA anymore with ACA, you will be paying double with COBRA more than likely.
 
Shiloh

Shiloh

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,710
COBRA is only good if you've hit your deductible for the year, which is possible as we're in the later part of it (assuming your plan year started 1/1).

I'd say hit up the ACA exchanges and see what they have, not too familiar as I mostly deal in the employer side of things.
 
skeptem

skeptem

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,749
GraphicViolets said:
Fuck COBRA definitely go to Healthcare.gov (the ACA exchange). it will tell you if you qualify for Medicaid and if not will give you subsidies towards the insurance you choose.

I wish i never touched COBRA as i would have saved a ton of money by trying healthcare.gov first
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This is correct. I had to get cobra in between jobs and it cost a fortune for a family of 4. I got reimbursement from my new job, but had I not been able to do that I would have been out $1500 a month for 3 months.
 
Deadlast

Deadlast

Member
Oct 27, 2017
572
Dine and Dash, but the healthcare version.

Seriously... If you have a serious issue, you can go to the ER. You basically don't pay and the Hospital pushes the lost to other patients. This is the cost of healthcare in America.
 
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Harris Katz

Harris Katz

Member
Apr 9, 2018
1,138
Deception said:
Pretty straightforward, but like many Americans I lost my employer insurance due to being laid off because of COVID and of course now I feel like I have something that legitimately needs to be checked out but have no insurance to do so. What are my options that won't bankrupt me? I live In Illinois since this will likely make a difference.
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Either pay for COBRA, but it is expensive, or get private insurance. If your employer did not give you option to sign up for COBRA within 45 days of your termination, they face penalties for violation of the law and you may have a lawsuit against them to force them to provide you with health insurance. If you believe that there was a violation of COBRA laws, you should speak to an attorney in your state.

Other than that, Obamacare is still available for the time being. You should weigh the cost of health insurance outside of a group versus what it will cost you out of pocket until you get another job with insurance. This is not a political statement at all, but i am attorney in Florida and I was meeting with you as a client, I would advise you to keep in mind that a gap in insurance may cause you an issue later, especially if the ACA goes away in light of the Ginsburg replacement on the Supreme Court.
 
GraphicViolets

GraphicViolets

Resettlement Advisor
Member
Oct 25, 2017
985
EnlightenedMint said:
Yeah, I don't see the point of COBRA anymore with ACA, you will be paying double with COBRA more than likely.
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skeptem said:
This is correct. I had to get cobra in between jobs and it cost a fortune for a family of 4. I got reimbursement from my new job, but had I not been able to do that I would have been out $1500 a month for 3 months.
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yeah. i paid 500$ (I'm single and was 26 at the time) on COBRA and halved that with no subsidies on the ACA. and my coverage is significantly better too. my current healthcare is amazing and i'm going to be disappointed when i get a company's healthcare again. Like I only have to pay 5$ for telehealth and that was before my healthcare provider made it free during the pandemic.
 
skeptem

skeptem

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,749
GraphicViolets said:
yeah. i paid 500$ (I'm single and was 26 at the time) on COBRA and halved that with no subsidies on the ACA. and my coverage is significantly better too. my current healthcare is amazing and i'm going to be disappointed when i get a company's healthcare again. Like I only have to pay 5$ for telehealth and that was before my healthcare provider made it free during the pandemic.
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Exactly. I mean, I actually ended up taking a job BECAUSE they offered such good and cheap coverage. Previous jobs were >$500 month for a family, this one is $75 a month for better coverage dental and vision.

I feel for everyone with terrible situations regarding their health insurance.
 
Kill3r7

Kill3r7

Member
Oct 25, 2017
24,441
ACA. COBRA might be too expensive depending on what plan you had. When I switched jobs a few years back, I ended up on COBRA for temporary coverage (newborn so a must) until the new insurance kicked it. The cost was $2800 for one month.
 
Zoe

Zoe

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,264
You should only sign up for COBRA if you find out you need it retroactively. The cost is excessive because you're paying your employer's share of the premium in addition to your own.
 
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