Why can't I cancel my health care coverage?

Question

I have had individual coverage for a while, until i became eligible for getting health benefit group coverage through my employer by being "full-time" for six months straight. I signed up for the coverage, then realized when i got the packet that the benefits were even worse than the individual coverage i was still on. I called to request cancellation, but I was out of their 31 day window where changes could be made to the plan without a special qualifying reason, (already being covered doesn't count, apparently) so now I have to wait until November for "open enrollment", and then i was told it would be January before I'd be able fully cancel the plan. It's August now.

I have alternate coverage. The two plans don't work together. I don't want them to work together even if they did. I want one plan. But due to the glib inflexibility of the insurance company and their IRS law cop-out, they're allowed to siphon money i can't afford from my paycheck for 5 months without my getting the benefit of their product.

Or so Barb the telephone lady explained to me, "Rules are rules, sir".

Is there anything I can do to get off this plan? Should I just try to get fired from my job? That'll work, right?

Answer 1

As 2 others have already said, why in the world did you not look into what kind of insurance and benefits you would get when signing up under your employer. They probably gave this info to you when you began working there and if you had been there 6 months when you agreed to get the insurance, and then it took you even longer after signing up to realize it wasn't as good of coverage as you already had, well, sorry to say, that is your own fault for not being more diligent. Many group insurances are terribly expensive, have high deductibles and co-pays, the company I work for is one of them. They gave me that information packet the day I started working for them and I am eligible for it in 3 months, but I knew after the first day I would not get it because it was so terrible. Some people with health problems don't have a choice and have to get on group insurance plans. But I'm assuming you are healthy if you were already paying a decent price for a good individual plan. That really does suck that you have to have it for 5 months, but you really can't blame anyone but yourself for not taking the time to read about the plan. You pay the money and chalk this up as an expensive lesson learned in insurance.

Answer 2

Prior to enrolling, your employer must have given you the benefits you were eligible to receive , costs and that little detail about how long you have to enroll and when you can disenroll. The fact that you did not read or understand this info prior to enrolling is irrevalent. Sorry, you had that info AND a window of time to change your mind. Now you must wait until open enrollment.

Of course, you can get fired or you can quit. That is your choice.

Answer 3

You don't need to be fired; you could quit.

The insurance companies must follow all federal and state regulations or they'll loose their license. It is not a "cop out".

The health insurance act of the early 70's, authored by Senator Kennedy, stipulated in part that insurance companies must accept all employees on a group plan regardless of any pre-existing conditions. In return they also stipulated the current rules about open enrollment and the percentage of employees that must be covered. This was to keep the insurance companies from going bankrupt by only having people with poor health enrolled.

Answer 4

Termination of employment or any of the other qualifying events are the only way to get out of the company insurance plan.  To save money, you could drop your individual coverage.

Answer 5

You don't need to try to get fired...you could always quit voluntarily.  That would still work.

But you are correct that there is nothing your employer can do, unless you have a "qualifying event."

You should have been aware of what you were getting into before signing up.  If you were looking at this rationally, you could certainly see why your employer isn't going to violate IRS regulation, just because you didn't pay attention before signing up for the benefits.