GC, I don't know the statute of limitations in your state, but I'm sure you have a while.

Just sayin'....

Yeah, if you've got a signed copy of someone from there deducting it, don't pay!

And DEFINITELY report them to the BBB!!!

I'm going along with the Don't Pay contingent.

OTOH? Sending the letter and forgetting the check might be worth it.

If you have the information, send it to the spouses of the asshats, too.

Action news, BBB and Angie's list sounds appropriate, as well.

Chutzpah is too good a word for what they've done. What Nerve.

I wouldn't pay either. If nothing else, legal action will take enough time that you will be through with the planning for the memorial service. Plus, they would look even more like jackasses because they pushed it knowing that GF's dad has just passed.

Ugh. My COBRA would be $488 a month. That's insane.

I just applied for catastrophic coverage--not the lowest one, the $2500-and-20% one (the worst was $5000-and-50%, but was only $7 cheaper a month). $82/month. Better, but still freaks me out a bit in an "OMG, I need to find a job now now now!!!" way. Ack. And filling out the health questionnaire, I freaked out worrying that they would turn me down for some reason. Which, they may. Though they shouldn't. Cause it's one of those catastrophic plans! I just want it in case I suddenly end up with cancer or a broken leg! I don't expect them to pay for my migraine meds!

I think my COBRA was about 500$. The woman I spoke to was all "oh, so much!" Yeah. About half my migraine meds' cost.

Yeah, see, I've got a couple months worth of zomig on tap, and the verapamil is about $35 for a 3 month supply at drugstore.com (not that the verapamil is doing a ton right now, but). So I figure I'm set for that. I just can't imagine it being worth $488 a month to be able to go to the doctor, for me...

t edit: does anyone know a reason that paying the COBRA *would* be worth it, as opposed to a few or six months of a catastrophic plan? I do figure on getting a "real" job with health insurance at some point, if not right now

Ugh. My COBRA would be $488 a month. That's insane.

Mine was $565 (i.e. about half a month's unemployment). And, in Maryland, if you don't exhaust COBRA first, you get screwed on any pre-existing conditions. If you don't have a pre-exisiting condition you can get decent catastrophic coverage for about $100 a month or so via Blue Cross or others at the various insurance websites.

does anyone know a reason that paying the COBRA *would* be worth it, as opposed to a few or six months of a catastrophic plan?

As I was potentially facing another round of surgery, COBRA was absolutely necessary. In Maryland, the Family Medical leave act did not cover me as an unemployed person until I had exhausted COBRA. If I had gotten another job, just with no insurance, it would have applied. That might be different in other states. When I applied for other coverage, I was systematically told there would be at least a 10-month wait on my pre-existing condition.

edit: does anyone know a reason that paying the COBRA *would* be worth it, as opposed to a few or six months of a catastrophic plan? I do figure on getting a "real" job with health insurance at some point, if not right now

It's been a while since I've had to deal with this, but the last time I had to consider COBRA, I couldn't do the catastrophic, because it wouldn't be considered as full coverage, so when I started a new insurance plan, they didn't have to cover my pre-existing conditions. Which may not be an issue for you... But, like ita, it's a huge issue for me.