Governments help with Medical Insurance.

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So we all heard of how the government wanted to help out people without medical insurance and in March they passed a law helping us out by covering your former employers part of your health plan,supposedly.

Well in January I lost my job in manfacturing and I was offered to continue my insurance through the COBRA plan at a cost to me of $1100/month, well the last thing I could afford at that time was an extra $1100 a month to keep insurance so I quickly turned it down. I still had a week before I lost it so I refilled every prescription I could for as long as I could and set off in search of a new plan.Well in the mean time the Prez passed this law where they would help out us less fortunate, in March(keep this in mind for later).So in April I get a letter in the mail saying that I am eligable for this new plan and it told us that we need to have it signed by no later than the Last of May with the first months payment.So the month of May was us deciding if we wanted to do this,coming up with the extra $380 a month they wanted(better than $1100) ,wether or not we will meet out of out of pocket deductable,etc.So at the last week we decided that it was better than nothing,phone calls to the company making sure it was the price they said, how long the coverage lasted,if things changed from before and so on.We were assusred nothing changed,claims went to same as when we had the plan while I was working, sounds great doesn't it.
Well today I finally get the packet in the mail, was glad to be insured in case something happened to the kids.Well that quickly went away when we open the letter and there was a bill for $1500. A phone call confirmed that yes we do owe them that amount, when asked why, I was told it was for the back dated months March,April and May. They want me to pay for months when I wasn't covered,enrolled or even scared to go to a Doctor.I asked the service gal on the phone who I could speak with about this crap and she told me to call the Dept. of Labour, so I did,know what they told me,IT'S THE LAW. What?? The bill was past in March so if I want it I need to pay the past due amount, Why?? Because IT'S THE LAW!!!!! If I don't want send them a formal letter stating I do not want the plan. So after I hung up the phone a very quick formal email was sent also requesting my one month payment be returned to me.Guess we'll see on that one.Hows that for a big steamy pile of BULLS*@T