Conference 7.286::digital

Someone told me that health care is continued for 1 year.  Is this true?

Ed..

    No.
    
    The period of health care matches the nr of weeks severance pay you
    receive

    Also, healthcare for the 9 wks will be covered as normal (i.e.
    dollars out of paycheck for insurance/HMO). After the 9 wks,
    you can continue with the same carrier, but will be billed
    monthly at the individual charge rather than the group charge.
    This arrangement will continue for your severace-pkg-wks.
    

    RE:  .3
    
   >  This arrangement will continue for your severace-pkg-wks
    
    Doesn't the COBRA ruling come into effect here?  I thought you could
    opt to continue coverage with the same carrier (at the individual rate,
    of course) for some extended period -- like one year?  Two years?
    
    Chet  

    RE:  .4
    
    COBRA ruling....
    
    If you mean does the COBRA go into effect AFTER the n wks pkg
    term? I don't know, I didn't check that far. I'll check and
    report back on the 7th :-)
    

    The COBRA program can kick in after the insurance stops (i.e. 9+n
    weeks) and can be continued for 18 months.  Your insurance is the
    same as before the job change with the same carrier, the only change
    is the administrator is no longer Digital, it's COBRA.
    
    

    RE:  .6
    
    Neato!
    
    I've also been told that if you are currently in an HMO, you
    can continue. If you move out of the HMO area, you can still
    have coverage under an HMO in the *new* area. I was told that
    JH can make the arrangements. (I will be going thru this
    in the spring).

    Under COBRA, you pay Digital's share of the payment as well as your
    own. 

	I did called John Hancock and asked about the COBRA plan.  They 
told me that the COBRA plan gives me the option of continuing my
current insurance plan,  Healthnet HCHP family plan for a cost of
$524.31 per month for up to 18 months.  If I changed my health care to 
just HCHP (Harvard) then it would cost $485.47 per month.

  Re HMO vs. John Hancock if laid off: One problem with HMO's is that most of
them have fringe areas that are technically in the HMO area but far from the
nearest HMO office. If you are in an HMO, are TFSO'd, and move to a fringe area
before finding another job, it could be awkward.
  Is it possible to change your health plan if you are TFSO'd during a time when
open enrollment is not in effect? I recall reading in the material that loss of
a job is an allowed reason to change enrollments, but there could be a catch
somewhere.

    I just had my 'official' meeting.
    When I asked about the COBRA, I could not get a clear answer at
    first...   After a few more questions, I was told that COBRA is not
    applicable after the TSFO package period and I am on my own.
    
    So to clarify the issue, I said I should be doing some financial
    calculations to see if it is better not to take the lumsum but to have
    the right of COBRA for 1 year.  The personnel person said yes you might
    want to do that.
    
    Is Digital buying employees out of the rights protected by
    Federal/State law?
    
    

    Side-note: My understanding is that COBRA goes up to 18 mo., not 1
    year. Also, to my surprise, my mom (who was laid off from another
    company) was able to get an 11 month extension after the 18 mos.
    
    	Dave

                      <<< Note 2235.11 by USCTR1::TSONG >>>
                      -< COBRA may NOT apply to TSFOed. >-

    When I asked about the COBRA, I could not get a clear answer at
    first...   After a few more questions, I was told that COBRA is not
    applicable after the TSFO package period and I am on my own.
    
>>>>I would do two things here. First, call the number in your TFSO package 
for the person further up the food chain to explain your rights and such 
under the TFSO package you received. If you are not satisfied, then I would 
seek out a person* who is familiar with COBRA and our TFSO package and 
explain your concerns to them. Digital, as a company, cannot just brush 
past state and federal laws. If your personnel consultant was as well 
versed as one I heard, then you need someone to explain the package to you 
again now that you have had time to study it and understand it and 
formulate questions. I don't believe that Digital is trying to get 
around the various coverage laws but rather you were handled by someone who 
did not understand the workings of those laws.
    
* someone outside of digital, such as a financial planner or lawyer who 
works with such cases. 

    Vic

    .13  makes an excellent point.  I don't think the people listed in
    the TFSO packets are out to deliberately mis-lead people, but they
    are obviously people who are not as knowledgeable as we might expect.
    
    A few TFSOs ago, a friend was definitely given incorrect info on the
    length of time she had to "roll-over" her 401K and she paid a whopping
    penalty at tax time.  Someone who was TFSOd during that same time
    period was definitely able to sign up for COBRA when they had not
    found a job by the time their DEC medical benefits expired.  I thought
    COBRA was a Federal program and the only factor that might prohibit one
    from using it would be the monthly cost - it's extremely expensive.
    
    Even though the TFSO packages are changing, has the law been changing
    just as rapidly?  Maybe I'm silly, but I would think that it is not
    unreasonable to expect the people who are listed in the TFSO packets
    have more than just a rudimentary knowledge of all aspects of the
    packages.....or at least admit to a caller that they are uncertain of
    an answer (if this might be the case).  I know my friend said one of
    the reasons she never checked further on the 401K was because the 
    person she spoke to seemed so definite/confident about their answer.
    
    Hmmm, is there a DELTA suggestion in here somewhere?
    
    Karen
    

    What we've been told is that we have med coverage at the current rate
    we're paying for the 9+n weeks, then COBRA is available for 18 months
    after that, but at the current + DEC contribution rate.  A fact I
    dug out of John Hancock but which the transition office didn't know
    is that you can extend the COBRA after the 18 months to cover
    pre-existing medical conditions.  This would be extremely useful if
    a serious illness develops during that time.
    
    I believe the person (.11?) who was told that COBRA might not
    be available was given incorrect information.