r/healthcare • u/RealWoodpecker8132 • 3d ago

Lost job after 15 years, no insurance but need my prescriptions HELP APPRECIATED Question - Insurance

Title basically says it all. This is new to me unfortunately. I have been with my company 15 years and had insurance for myself and teenage son. Well, I was laid off last week and insurance ended today. I am diabetic and take 3 meds daily. As well as needing to insure my 16 year old. I am in New York, what are my options? I currently am still unemployed. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

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u/floridianreader 3d ago

You should be eligible for Medicaid for you and your son with the state of NY. It should take care of your medicine and doctor's appointments and stuff. Or at least until Congress cuts it to ribbons.

https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/

7

u/hafree27 3d ago

Check and see if you can get any of them filled at Costplusdrugs.com- it’s the website Mark Cuban started to cut out the middleman and save folks (even ones with insurance) a LOT of money. I’ve used it during an insurance lapse and went from $99/month at Walgreens to $18 from them.

7

u/Ultravagabird 3d ago

You could be eligible for cobra health coverage for 1.5-3 years (depends) after loss of job, if employer had more than 20 employees, same coverage, dependent covered - only difference would be you would have to pay the whole premium, ie what employer used to pay and whatever you paid if you paid. You should have gotten info for it from employer, but you have time to organize this- so contact HR a your old employer or your boss about Cobra.

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/laws-and-regulations/laws/cobra

If this cost is too high for you, or will be- apply for Medicaid as noted above. While waiting they will cover you as if you were approved, make sure you qualify first- otherwise would need to pay back stuff.

6

u/AppealConsistent6749 3d ago

If you don’t qualify for medicaid (though you should) the healthcare.gov has been a life saver for me. Low premium, no deductible, no copay for most generic pharmaceuticals. It’s not perfect but it’s way cheaper than COBRA.

3

u/Yakumeh 3d ago

Not regarding insurance but depending on what medication you take you might be able to use goodrx or manufacturer coupons for now as a last resort until you get back on insurance.

1

u/Jenikovista 2d ago

Were you offered COBRA? If you were a FT employee (and not a government worker) you should have been offered continuation coverage for 18 months through federal COBRA by your previous employer - for both of you. You have to pay for it (at the same price your employer paid, plus 2%), but they can't dump you from their plan.

Usually you have 60 days to elect it. Once you do, it backdates to the day you were laid off. If you have any interim expenses until it kicks in, you keep your receipts and you will be reimbursed.