Lost my job....now what

roadwarrior · Post by **roadwarrior** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 10:47 am

Just wondering how my use of a new CPAP machine will be affected by the loss of my job. I have NO intention of signing up for that absurdly expensive COBRA coverage. My insurance will be covered for 60 days........then what do I do about the CPAP machine. I know it isn't likely paid for in advance per se. I have a deductable I need to pay now of about $130 which is my 20%. I sure hope this doesn't mean I'm stuck..........I need this thing to keep breathing properly afterall

birdiebaby · Post by **birdiebaby** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 11:08 am

RW -- I am so sorry to hear that you lost your job. I was laid off a week before Christmas, 2002, and I certainly can sympathize. As I look back, it was probably the best thing that ever happened to me. I hope you bounce back quickly and with even more success.

I'd give your insurance company a call and see what their intention/policy is in purchasing the machine. If they aren't going to purchase it within the next 2 months, then you might want to just go it on your own. In reality it would only take the equivalent of about 4 months of that $130 copayment to purchase it outright on your own through CPAP.com. The mask is already yours, and it seems that DMEs also sell the humidifier outright. So all you'll need to do is purchase the machine. IMO, that would be a wise expenditure at this point.

Shelley

Issac · Post by **Issac** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 11:24 am

Go and make an appointment with your Dr now and get a full physical and get all your perscriptions filled and ask for a 6 month supply of everything. If you have been putting off going to the foot dr, the chiropractor, everyone...because the first visit is the most expnsive because of all the xrays. Go now and get it all out of the way in case you are without insurance for the next 12 months. Get a new script for a mask wile your at it and get it filled. if you just got a mask, get your extra cushions and pillows.

OwlCreekObserver · Post by **OwlCreekObserver** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 11:35 am

Issac wrote:Go and make an appointment with your Dr now and get a full physical and get all your perscriptions filled and ask for a 6 month supply of everything. If you have been putting off going to the foot dr, the chiropractor, everyone...because the first visit is the most expnsive because of all the xrays. Go now and get it all out of the way in case you are without insurance for the next 12 months. Get a new script for a mask wile your at it and get it filled. if you just got a mask, get your extra cushions and pillows.

My doc agreed to write my prescriptions for 90 days with 3 refills -- a full year's worth. That saves him the hassle of writing a new script every 3 months and saves me a bit in time and co-pays. If you have any prescriptions, this is something you might want to ask about while you still have insurance. If nothing else it could save you some office visit time.

Also I'm wondering if your DME would, under the circumstances, be willing to either work with you on establishing a different rate or even sell you the unit outright. I don't know if either of those is possible, but it's something to think about.

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 12:51 pm

You can get it or another one online for a lot less than a DME will cut you for. It's just $ 414 new from CPAP.COM. Jim

sleepylady · Post by **sleepylady** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 8:21 pm

My insurance company has a policy of a 10 month rental and then the CPAP is mine. You will definitely want to talk to your insurance company and find out their policy. I agree with Jim, more than likely just go to cpap.com and purchase the machine. You won't get a better deal from your DME.

Melinda

Krelvin · Post by **Krelvin** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 8:44 pm

Sorry to hear about your job loss... been there, done that a few times.

roadwarrior wrote:I have NO intention of signing up for that absurdly expensive COBRA coverage.

The ramifications of not having continuing health care coverage may no longer be like it used to be.

In the past, it could lead to an exclusion of any preexisting conditions for a year when you do start the new job with insurance. I don't think it is like that any more but I don't know.

The cost of paying the Cobra if you think you might have a new job soon, might be worth the high cost in the long term, to keep the continuation of coverage in effect.

You should talk to your HR department as find out what the real ramifications might be. Or, you normally can contact the Cobra people. They can provide the same.

You might also look at other insurance plans that can keep that continuing coverage in effect.

krousseau · Post by **krousseau** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 8:58 pm

Health care is even more expensive and continuing benefits is important. Look into that COBRA very carefully. It isn't just illness it's accidents too.

Handgunner45 · Post by **Handgunner45** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 9:08 pm

When I started my current job, I hadn't had insurance for a number of months and when I applied for my employers ins plan, they refused to cover any pre-existing conditions for the first year of coverage. My understanding is that if you have continuous coverage they cannot refuse to treat a pre-existing condition. At least that seems to be the case here in NE

surfingwoman · Post by **surfingwoman** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 9:21 am

Signing up for something like Blue Cross. When you are not employed, your ability to get insurance can sometimes depend on having continuous coverage - at least that's what I was told when I was laid off. I was laid off at the end of 2001, and my cobra coverage for my family of three would have been $1200 a month. (No, not a typo!!). I was told that I could choose not to renew insurance if I wanted, but then if I later chose to go with insurance after my cobra had expired, I'd risk not being covered. If you are covered at the time you choose insurance, it is easier to get medical coverage if you are not working. I ended up getting blue cross. It cost a little less than 200 a month for my family, and had about a 3k deductible for the year. That's a high deductible, but if you own a house you at least want catastrophic care coverage.

I know this isn't about your cpap machine, but thought it might be helpful. I agree that cobra coverage is really expensive.

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 10:27 am

roadwarrior wrote:Just wondering how my use of a new CPAP machine will be affected by the loss of my job. I have NO intention of signing up for that absurdly expensive COBRA coverage. My insurance will be covered for 60 days........then what do I do about the CPAP machine. I know it isn't likely paid for in advance per se. I have a deductable I need to pay now of about $130 which is my 20%. I sure hope this doesn't mean I'm stuck..........I need this thing to keep breathing properly afterall

Have you considered going to work for a local DME supplier? You've at least got experience in one area of the business.

Also, you might look into getting a job with the State. They don't normally have pre-existing conditions rules and your coverage would probably be immediate.

Best wishes,

Den

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 11:22 am

worst case scenario:

You end up having to buy your own machine on-line or even used from yahoo.com for $250 or so for an autopap. Take care of your masks, you can get a year out of them easily.

what ever you do, don't fall for paying monthly rental for your machine or assuming what the insurance has been paying, that is a complete rip-off. If they say you have to pay $80 more per month to keep your machine, say come and get it.

have a copy of your original cpap script? If not, go get it and a copy of your PSG before insurance expires. Your script will never expire and you can use that script to get any autopap you want.

Grimace · Post by **Grimace** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 12:20 pm

In my opinion, your best bet will definitely be to buy a used machine rather attempting to deal with a DME. Although I have insurance, I decided to go that route because I didn't want to go through with the hassle and long wait it would take to set up a sleep study and then wait for the insurance to approve a machine when I was certain that I had apnea. Although many here will disagree with my decision, I absolutely believe that I was correct. As mentioned before, you should be able to find a good used automatic machine on yahoo auctions for less than $300. If that is too much, I bought an older used machine and a passover humidifier to use when travelling, and I have about $50 invested in it, and it works fine. Masks can also be had for significantly less than even online prices at yahoo.

ladytonya · Post by **ladytonya** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:03 pm

I would try my hardest to go with the COBRA coverege. Yes, it is expensive, but it establishes continuance coverage. If you have a break in coverage you will have an exclusion for pre-existing conditions. I've never heard of any insurance that did not have that exclusion. I have had BCBS, UHC, and several others. I ended up at a job for 5 years with no insurance and I couldn't get an individual policy because of my height/weight. Now with that plus being diagnosed with sleep apnea no way would I be able to get individual insurance! If you don't keep your coverage up somehow, even when you do get a new job and get insurance, they will consider the sleep apnea a pre-existing condition and you won't be able to get coverage for a year on anything plus you might even have to have another sleep study to prove to them that you still have it. I know it sucks, but unfortunately that's the way the insurance industry is. Good luck!

tater pie · Post by **tater pie** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 3:03 pm

This is just my experience with no insurance. It might not work in your area. I live in Dallas, Texas, and the county of Dallas provides healthcare, including sleep apnea treatment, through the county hospital facilities at Parkland Hospital if you qualify based on income, family size, age, etc. Actually, you can make more than you think and still qualify. We lost our insurance and there was absolutely no way we could pay $900 a month for the cobra even if we decided to live off of bread and water alone. Parkland Hospital is supported by county tax money and we had paid taxes for almost 30 years and still do pay taxes so it's not a handout. It works a lot like insurance with co-pays, etc. but it's the best we could do. They will do sleep studies but I'm on my own for cpap equipment and the equipment here at cpap.com is as cheap as any I've ever found unless you can find used equipement somewhere. There is also the American Sleep Apnea Association which might help since you're out of work. Check out your county hospital if you have one. You don't get the nice personal touches that you get at a private care place but honestly, the medical care my husband and I have received is just as good or better. He had to have a hernnia operation a couple of months ago and they did a fabulous job. You may have to wait in long lines but that just goes with the territory. I hope you find a solution to your problem. A lot of people have been in your situaion and it's not fun.

Lost my job....now what

Lost my job....now what

Re: Lost my job....now what

You might consider...

Re: Lost my job....now what

Mask