Spouse stopped paying COBRA and we lost coverage. What are our options?

[rignoid]

I need to stick to the facts here.

We're in the USA.

H and I had both been out of work for about a year. Health insurance was through his work (I was a contractor/freelance).

After he was laid off, we paid for very expensive COBRA coverage for us and our kid, via his former employer.

Unbeknownst to me (he hid this/lied about it), he stopped paying COBRA premiums after February.

His former employer/the insurance company permanently canceled our plan towards the end of April, but canceled it retroactively to February.

I discovered this in May (a week+ ago).

We could appeal, but it would take 30-45 days, it is outrageously expensive anyway-- $2500/month for 2 adults + 1 child-- and we are highly unlikely to win because we had a way to pay, it just wasn't utilized, by my husband's choice.

We apparently can qualify for Medicaid for our daughter (?), and also for us retroactively for March/April, but maybe not for the adults for May+, as I got a job at the end of April that will pay me/has started paying me $3-4k/month gross. ETA: This is a full-time job through at least December, but am being paid as a contractor, so no benefits from my new job. I may be confused, but this income may be too much to qualify for May on. Husband has no income, in fact has earned almost nothing in the past year of unemployment (I earned some prior to late April, though not enough). He did earn some money in April that was paid in May ($3k), but has nothing else lined up.

It looks like we can't apply for Obamacare (until Nov 1?) because failing to pay COBRA premiums is not a "qualifying event." And he lost employment more than a year ago.

What can I do?

I've been struggling to wrap my mind around this because I am still reeling from yet another betrayal on his part, having to begin looking into divorce mediation again, and trying to keep my new job.

Thank you so much for any help.

 

[foreverthankful]

@rignoid What state are you in?

You're correct that healthcare.gov is no longer an option on account of "voluntarily" losing COBRA and your loss of coverage prior to then was a year ago.

If you "lost" coverage (aka last paid for COBRA) In february, then it's too late to get on your work's insurance unless your waiting period hasn't come up yet. He could get a job with coverage and you could join that coverage. You could get another job with insurance and get on that. Or, if you qualify in your state for Medicaid, that's an option--- but we'd need to know what state you're in.

 

[rignoid]

@foreverthankful Maryland. I earn/will earn too much, since it seems to be a gross income thing and the gross income

 

[ashleyluvsjames]

@rignoid Losing the Cobra coverage isn't a recent enough QLE for.you now, but if you qualify for Medicaid for March and April then lose that this month because of higher income, could that be counted as a new QLE Itself? Losing Medicare or Medicaid eligibility is listed as one on healthcare.gov.

 

[jsocd151]

@rignoid Read up on Medicaid. The income limit is monthly, but if annualized you fall within the qualification you qualify. Example, if you make in Jan 5k, it doesn’t mean that you disqualify for the rest of the year. Same for December, it doesn’t mean that it disqualifies you for all the earlier years.

 

[bronzesnake]

@rignoid Literally any federal job?

 

[gem54]

@rignoid have you checked the premiums though? I struggled to believe they are worse than Cobra