To any former AT&T employees who were recently surplused or "retired", please double-check your medical benefits to make sure you are covered, especially those who qualify for the 6 months of subsidized coverage as Company Extended Coverage (CEC). When my normal coverage ended at the end of the month, I had to call AT&T Benefits Center: 1-877-722-0020 to make sure I was medically covered and pay my monthly portion. I got a mail confirmation of enrollment and a receipt that I paid for April, but today it shows coverage is terminated in the Kaiser website, so I had to call back again and they put in a Trouble Ticket to fix it, which takes 3-5 days. I am sure this is happening quite a bit, so please double-check your coverage.
8 replies (most recent on top)
Well reading that SPD further...
when you or a Child is eligible for extended coverage during a leave of absence or after termination of employment and the extended coverage runs concurrently with COBRA continuation coverage, you will automatically be enrolled in COBRA continuation coverage for the duration of your eligibility for extended coverage.
That's different from my day. So, it does appear that the extended coverage should be automatic. But, remember, that is part of the Cobra 18 month window. There is not a separate Cobra window later on.
Well, time to pull up the SPD
"In the event your employment is terminated and you are eligible for severance benefits pursuant to an AT&T Controlled Group of Companies’ severance plan, you may be eligible for Company Extended Coverage (CEC) for up to 12 months. Your eligibility for CEC is determined under the terms of the severance plan. The table below lists the period of time the company will continue to contribute to your Program coverage, if you are eligible for CEC as a provision of your severance benefit. During the period in which you are eligible for Company contributions toward your CEC, the Company will contribute at the level that would have applied toward your coverage if you were still employed. When CEC is available, it will be integrated with COBRA based on the CEC and COBRA integration rules described above"
The reason it is integrated with Cobra is because Cobra provides for 18 months of extended coverage after active employment ends. They're not going to start that 18 month window after 6 months of subsidized health care. It is Cobra, which will function identically to active employee insurance that is subsidized for those 6 months.
So, if you threw out your Cobra package because you thought your post employment insurance was a separate deal... we'll, should have read the SPD as well as the Cobra package. My package specified the 6 month subsidized Cobra.
To any former AT&T employees who were recently surplused or "retired"
If you were surplused (not retired) you receive Company Extended Coverage (CEC). If retire and not Medicare eligible you can receive COBRA if you opt in. I personally made the decision to retire when I was surplused and shame on me, did not research the implications. I should have waited until after the six months to retire in order to continue my coverage.
FALSE! Employees receive extended coverage for 6 months
I've received the package, having been laid off. Because one isn't an active employee, the group health insurance extension is a Cobra extension. It should have come in a package that would provide for extension of dental and vision as well, (which was on my dime).
Once one leave the payroll, except for gross misconduct, ex-employee should have received a Cobra package. That package should explain the subsidy if there is one.
I don't think it's automatic. One has to opt into Cobra coverage, including subsidized Cobra coverage.
FALSE! Employees receive extended coverage for 6 months just as the OP said.
Only after the 6 months do you need to be concerned with COBRA. Alternatively, you can sign up at the healthcare exchange at healthcare.gov for less than half of COBRA.
To OP. Be aware that healthcare billing for the next 6 months will be a challenge. The premiums changed randomly and made no sense. Stay vigilant.
@Anonymous @af+1jrtfkb7b - I and probably most people leaving the company meet the Modified Rule of 75, which makes you eligible for CEC. For the first 6 months, you'd pay the same rate as an active employee, and then 100% of coverage costs for the following 12 months. So if one doesn't meet MR75, you either pay into Cobra or qualify for Medicare. This is one of the reasons reaching MR75 milestone is important.
Once one leave the payroll, except for gross misconduct, ex-employee should have received a Cobra package. That package should explain the subsidy if there is one.
I don't think it's automatic. One has to opt into Cobra coverage, including subsidized Cobra coverage.
OP - If you are on facebook be sure to post this on the ATT Retirement page. Thanks