Quitting Work & Getting Insurance

[mariposa13]

Hi

I'm still working FT but feel I need to quit soon. It's getting harder and I'm getting slower and more stressed. The reason I haven't quit yet is because I need my insurance. I really want to get on Radicava and I'm afraid that if I quit work I'll have to wait 5 months to get on Medicare (and, more importantly, wait 5 months for Radicava. I really don't want to wait!)

Does anyone have experience with this, or insight for me? I've been at the same job for 16 years so I'm not sure what other options I may have...

 

[Nikki J]

There is no way around the 5 month wait for medicare after stopping working ( you can earn a tiny amount each month and still get medicare but not a real job)

Once you stop work do you have saved vacation time, sick time, anything that might carry the insurance for a while if you take those days after stopping work? You can Cobra it too but that is expensive. You can get insurance through your state's version of Obamacare.

Cobra would allow you to keep the same plan until medicare kicks in. If you start radicava probably your insurance would require reassessment after 6 months anyway so if you can afford it you might be best to keep what you have until medicare if you are pursuing radicava

 

[lgelb]

Agreed, try to take COBRA if you are pursuing Radicava (a process I'd begin now). Given your 16y, even if you don't have time earned or a disability policy that will make you whole for the premiums, you might be able to negotiate X months of subsidized COBRA as part of your resignation package in recognition of your years of service. In return, you could offer (not in writing but informally) X hours of unpaid consulting from home to help train your successor, troubleshoot, do transition planning, etc.