Took an unpaid paternity leave for a week, insurance lapsed

takesteady

Well-Known Member
Warning to any future parents out there, make sure your full time supervisor files the proper paperwork or punch in at least once per week for however long your leave lasts or your health insurance will lapse.

I confirmed multiple times with my PT sup that I would take a week off while my daughter was being born, but I found out weeks later that my insurance lapsed for the week I took off to be with my wife in the hospital which left me on the hook for thousands of dollars in medical bills. Apparently if you don't punch in for 5 consecutive days, your insurance will lapse.


I know im a :censored2:ing idiot for not talking to a full time or a shop steward, but it's still crazy. I talked to my steward and they are helping me out, but it's still a major headache having to call AETNA and teamcare to handle it.
 

Fuzzy Brown

Well-Known Member
Too late for FMLA maybe they will go back and give you an entitlement day for the week you were off all you need is one report per week to maintain your insurance.
 

takesteady

Well-Known Member
I feel like a * for not going through the proper channels, but my main takeaway is something I already knew, pt sups are :censored2:ing good for nothing.
 
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takesteady

Well-Known Member
Too late for FMLA maybe they will go back and give you an entitlement day for the week you were off all you need is one report per week to maintain your insurance.


That's what ended up happening. They gave me a check for two days that week. Now im just trying to get AETNA and Teamcare to pay the claim.
 

Sissy Brown Short Shorts

Well-Known Member
I feel like a * for not going through the proper channels, but my main takeaway is something I already knew, pt sups are :censored2:ing good for nothing.
Did me dirty a few years back when I took a week off to recuperate from a surgery, didn’t want to go through the bs applying for leave or disability for just a couple hundred bucks and my center manager said I would be good, no problem. Insurance lapsed and I got billed almost 30k. Idk if I got lucky but the person I talked to from teamcare was very understanding and they paid up.
 

Fuzzy Brown

Well-Known Member
Did me dirty a few years back when I took a week off to recuperate from a surgery, didn’t want to go through the bs applying for leave or disability for just a couple hundred bucks and my center manager said I would be good, no problem. Insurance lapsed and I got billed almost 30k. Idk if I got lucky but the person I talked to from teamcare was very understanding and they paid up.
Understanding and Teamcare are two words I’d never use together.
 

Brownslave688

You want a toe? I can get you a toe.
That's what the lady I spoke to at teamcare suggested, but I talked to an attorney who said I should do no such thing. They already wrote me a retro check for that week so I think that should be enough.
Yes. I’m just saying that’s the worst case scenario is you’d pay for that. So you were never really on the hook for the bills.
 

takesteady

Well-Known Member
Yes. I’m just saying that’s the worst case scenario is you’d pay for that. So you were never really on the hook for the bills.


Well, I think I still am. Teamcare claims it hasn't 'updated'
in their system yet and I that I have to call AETNA to resolve it. I may end up just paying the COBRA claim to put a stop to this headache.
 

Boywondr

The truth never changes.
Too late for FMLA maybe they will go back and give you an entitlement day for the week you were off all you need is one report per week to maintain your insurance.
We've had fmla backdated here.
I feel like a * for not going through the proper channels, but my main takeaway is something I already knew, pt sups are :censored2:ing good for nothing.
Call hrsc and get your doctor to backdate your claim under fmla.
20200114_211229.jpg

Give that a try?
 

zubenelgenubi

I'm a star
Here's an idea to bring up with your locals for the next contract: 40 hrs/month to keep your benefits. Having benefits potentially lapse from one week to the next is quite possibly the dumbest thing I've heard. I'd also be interested in seeing whether the setup we have, wherein our benefits could lapse, violates the Affordable Care Act.
 

Brownsocks

Just a dog
Here's an idea to bring up with your locals for the next contract: 40 hrs/month to keep your benefits. Having benefits potentially lapse from one week to the next is quite possibly the dumbest thing I've heard. I'd also be interested in seeing whether the setup we have, wherein our benefits could lapse, violates the Affordable Care Act.
The affordable care act violates the Constitution.
 

Boywondr

The truth never changes.
Here's an idea to bring up with your locals for the next contract: 40 hrs/month to keep your benefits. Having benefits potentially lapse from one week to the next is quite possibly the dumbest thing I've heard. I'd also be interested in seeing whether the setup we have, wherein our benefits could lapse, violates the Affordable Care Act.
A fellow upser said his dad worked for ABF and Roadway. When he was a kid his dad had to work X amount of hours per week to secure benefits for that week so sometimes they had to cancel dentist and other healthcare appointments because he didn't quite make the minimum.

We have it much better than that but much worse than the 1 punch per month we needed to secure benefits before we got put into Teamcare, not that our UPS Teamcare is a bad plan, it isnt, things change, but to listen to a supervisor talk about what your negotiated rights are is foolish.

People need to know their rights under FMLA and Local Unions need to educate their membership.
 
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