Sometime in December...Susie went from a full-time counselor to a part-time supervisor. We figured that financially this made the most sense since it would cut back on both of our travel and gas expenses (thanks Mr. Bush and oil friends), would eliminate the need for us to start Jack in daycare (typically over $100 per week), and would allow her to eventually move into a private practice (we are trying to start a business--needless to say--we haven't gotten very far yet). The only real drawback, other than Susie having to leave the kids she counseled, was that the company we work for does not offer benefits to individuals working part-time. As a result, she would either have to move to my benefits or we would have to apply for private insurance.
Our insurance provider at the time was United. The company we work for had outsourced the management/human resource issues for employee benefits to a company specializing in handling this for other companies named Lassiter Ware. I decided to call over to Lassiter Ware and find out what it would cost to continue with Jack and Susie's insurance via COBRA. It was going to be somewhere in the range of $1600 a month. During the phone call, the woman I spoke to asked if I was aware that my insurance was due to reset at the 1st of the year despite our enrollment being in March for new insurance. In effect, this meant I would lose somewhere around $2000 in deductible monies paid out from January to March. Further, if Jack and Susie were to get on my plan, any money we paid during January to March would be lost as our deductibles would reset in March, potentially resulting in a loss of thousands of dollars if anyone was to get any major health issue. I promptly informed my supervisor who informed her supervisor which resulted in me meeting with the CEO of our agency. All the way to the top, our management was unaware of this issue. In fact, they argued that it was not true until I finally got them to speak to people that told them it was indeed true. Basically, our money was being stolen and it was arranged unknowingly by our own company execs. Suddenly the CEO and I were done talking. In fact, he simply stopped returning my e-mails and other attempts to correspond.
We decided to shop the market for private health insurance and found that we could save money going private based on the horrible benefits we receive through my company and the high monthly premiums (over $700 per month for a family of 3). However, we were informed that my company was negotiating a new plan with a different carrier, Aetna. However, the company indicated they would let me know when they could about the details of the new plan offers. Nearly a month went by.
Meanwhile, Jack was needing to go to the doctor due to poor eating habits, irritability, and needing his immunizations. One problem, he had no insurance. We applied privately while we waited to see if it would remain a better option than keeping with the company. About 2 1/2 weeks of waiting went by and we finally got word from the company. The benefit offers would not change. Finally, Jack had insurance. We scheduled a doctors appointment for the following week.
During this time, Jack got back to normal eating patterns and his sleep improved...he sprouted his first tooth!!!!!! We decided everything was okay and that all we had been concerned about were teething symptoms. Everyone was shocked at how early our little masticator was developing tuffems.
Insurance hell continued into the next few weeks as I was given improper, ill-informed information on several occasions by Lassiter Ware. At some point, the vice president of that company called to apologize for my experience but said they could not do what I was originally told they would do regarding my own insurance. The VP preceded to tell me it was partially my fault and that I needed to admit it. Without getting into details, the conversation did not go well from there. I was actually thinking of hiring a lawyer and told the VP of my intention. Then, I hung up!!! Two hours went by and I got an email. The email indicated that the high and mighty VP was willing to cover any and all of my out of pocket expenses until March regarding healthcare. I had won. I didn't want to play in the first place but in the end I won.
I was happy and Jack had a doctor's appointment.
Then I got sick, the day Susie and I were supposed to go stay in a resort for our first weekend without our boy. We cancelled for the next week.
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