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.

LOVE the letter GC. Perfect. I, too, am in the don't pay group, but I understand why it may be too much to deal with right now.

COBRA for the two months I was without insurance between jobs would have cost me $900/month. Yeah. I had really good insurance at that old job. Needless to say, I went without and crossed fingers that nothing catastrophic would happen.

Well, there's always the "cross fingers and see how long you have to elect COBRA *after* it starts" plan, but as I'm contemplating more like six or nine months, I know that's longer than you can post-date your COBRA choice.

So if I do the catastrophic, and then get another job, it would screw me on pre-existing conditions? The only ones I can think of are the migraines, which....not getting prescription coverage for those would suck, but at this point, there's not much else. Unless something happened and they were all "You should've KNOWN you had cancer, therefore it's a preexisting condition!" or whatever. Or if it came up during the catastrophic time, yes?

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?

Unless something has changed since I last did it, you should have a 60 (or possibly 90) day window when you can kick in your COBRA retroactively.

So, like, on day 59 (89?) you get hit by a bus you pay two months of premiums and you're set.

It gives you some time to play with since you're job hunting.

So if I do the catastrophic, and then get another job, it would screw me on pre-existing conditions? The only ones I can think of are the migraines, which....not getting prescription coverage for those would suck, but at this point, there's not much else. Unless something happened and they were all "You should've KNOWN you had cancer, therefore it's a preexisting condition!" or whatever. Or if it came up during the catastrophic time, yes?

That wasn't my understanding. I could prove full coverage for the preceding two years, and the Blue Cross would have counted as well. It was just if anything happened in the first 10 months, I wouldn't be covered for it. And, since the probability was rather high for my condition to recur and need surgery in the near future, I couldn't chance it. I wouldn't have hesitated otherwise. Of course, the first time I needed surgery was the only other time I was on COBRA (luckily I happened to land in the emergency room during the grace period and could make my coverage retroactive). My initial insurance was so awesome I never saw a bill for my eventual surgery.

ETA: And the window starts after notification of your COBRA rights, so NYU's enormous bureaucracy meant I had a 4 month grace period.

I would check with your state's medical assistance coverage. Just in case. They might help pay COBRA or have an alternative. the latter is more likely.

When I was unemployed, and went in and applied for my MA *before* I went to get my leg checked on and found out I had diabetes, I was lucky as hell.

Well, my personal trainer (I'd signed up at the gym for a package that included six sessions, before I got laid off!) was telling me about a low-income state thing that he knew about/was on. But it's based on how much you make a month, and I don't know how much I'll be making on unemployment, yet. (Oddly, if I make the most you can on unemployment, it would be enough to be ineligible for the plan, as a single person!)

That's a great letter.

My last day was today! It was very eventful AND they managed to surprise me! Not with lunch my office took me to my fave place for lunch but boss was late and I was getting a bit peeved.

BUT She was late picking flowers and my presents! I got a long sleeve Tampa Bay Lightning t shirt! and a very nice clock and matching paperwieght that were engraved.

Then when I got back from lunch we were busying around and I got sent to the break room -- where there was a party for me! Earlier there was a pizza partybut only our division so I felt a little let down (no cake !and no dessert at lunch! and none of my other co workers) but there they were with cake and a card and some of the others had kicked in for a couple of gift cards for a restaurant and AMC so I can do dinner and a movie!

The rest of the day was me going around saying good bye and hugging everyone and promising to keep in touch and feeling very appreciated and it was very cool.

Then Iwent to Mom's and took a very long nap.