Part of my separation from my company was that they will cover COBRA up until December 31st of this year. Then from that point I either have to pay for it, do without or get something else.
I was hoping to be re-employed by now even if it means staying on Long Island which would provide health care. Considering the futile job search to date, it does not look very promising for me as far as health coverage goes. To pay for the COBRA will cost me about $2,200 a month. Much more than what I get on unemployment.
Now I will need to look at the alternatives and none of them are attractive at this point.
First is to pay for the COBRA out of pocket and like I said earlier that is $2,200 a month. When you get only $355 net a week on unemployment and have a household to support paying for COBRA is not an option.
Next are the 'public' health care options.
First is the Healthy New York plan. With what I get on unemployment I would qualify for that but the premiums from I learned are 50% of what unemployment gives. In that case I would have only a little over $152 a week to live on.
Unemployment in New York is at poverty levels already and you cannot truly take care of your family on it. Long Island as a very high cost of living already and unemployment does not cut it. And our governor is not going to do anything to fix it. Yep, gotta love Long Island.
Next is Family Health Plus. I don't have to pay into this but what I get on unemployment negates me from getting it. I am $10 over the limit. A lousy $10.
Then there is Medicaid. I can get that but with the way that Nassau County runs it, I would lose the shirt on my back. With Nassau County I would have to sign over most everything we own. That means I have to sign over our life insurance policy's, any savings we have, our retirement, even our car would have to be signed over.
Now if I decide to get slick to try and save what we have by giving (loaning it for safe keeping actually) to our kids, Nassau County will check our finances out and see that we had assets and lock us out for three years before we are eligible for assistance. Welcome to Long Island.
And of our savings, I was trying to set aside some so we could drive to Key West and check out the area. And if I so happen to get luck and get a job offer there we would need finances to move out of New York. Signing this over to Nassau County would permanently negate those desires and wishes. Yes, you really have to love living on Long Island.
And if I should get into a good position while on Medicaid you need to pay them back in full. They will take steps to go as far as garnishing what you make and can take up to 50% of your salary.
The way Nassau County is set up, they force you into poverty and keep you there. Yea, we've been there many years ago and know of people that had to go through it. If there was no problem with it, then what are there so many lawyers that specialize in Medicaid? So Medicaid is not a viable option.
Finally we can go without health care. My wife and I have our own health issues like so many millions of people do and health is a necessity.
There is an advocacy group out on Long Island that is supposed to work and get you affordable health care. I reached out to them and they told me there is nothing that they can do. In essence they handed us a death sentence. Gotta Love Long Island....not.
So we are going to have to sit down and come up with a plan of attack in what to do. Part of this of course includes the job search and I am still hoping for a job in the Keys.
I heard that they arrested that jerk that assaulted the Florida worker in Hempstead.
There are no gas lines at the stations but the governor has yet to lift rationing.
'til next time
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