my COBRA health insurance went up 22%

[Flowers]

normally the yearly increase is about 5%, this year I was notified it went up 22%. Think it has something to do with the BK?

this is COBRA that I get thru ex-H. COBRA for former spouses go 36 mo. vs. 18 mo. for former employee

[Flowers]

experts? knowledgable posters? anyone?

[AngelinaCat]

My husband and I were on COBRA for 18 months when I lost my FT job in September 2007. When we started making payments that October, it was $885.21 per month. Fine. We budgeted for it and paid for a year's worth of coverage in January 2008 from a yearly stipend that we get each January. In October 2008, the payment jumped to nearly $1000.00 per month. So we sucked the belts in--again--and came up with the difference in order to keep the coverage. It stayed at that rate through the end of April 2009 when our COBRA benefits ran out.

In March, 'Hub turned 65 and went on Medicare, so he is more or less covered. I am not, and am struggling to find something affordable.

I don't know if that tale of our COBRA experience helps or not, but I hope so.

Good luck

[Flowers]

thanks AngelinaCat . . .I was just wondering if it had to do with the fact that I filed BK.

and from another thread I see you a 'Hub are married.
had no idea there was wedded bliss on the bkforum! ;)

[AngelinaCat]

No, I think the price increase coincided with what for my former employer was the end/beginning of the Fiscal Year, namely September 30/October 1.

I did not know there were instances of coverage for 36 months.

And yes, 'Hub and I will have been married 21 years this June 30. When I found this wonderful forum and then introduced him to it, he wanted to post under my nickname. I squashed that because he and I can have totally different takes on the same subject, and I knew that we would end up confusing everyone. At first I was annoyed that he didn't think up a nickname more original, but as time passed--and we have gotten feedback such as yours--that it helps some of the couples out there to know that some couples can and do make it through this extremely stressful time.

Good luck to you.