Found a job ... in the nick of time

[LOSTnut]

Well, I posted several times about my scare of being unemployed and running out of insurance at the end of September.

And, now I can report that yesterday evening I got a job offer and am now, once again, a bona fide Executive Assistant with a decent income and excellent benefits. I start working on Monday and the benefits will kick in on Sept 1.

I am so happy I don't even know how to feel. Yesterday I just skipped and hopped through the house and had a hard time going to sleep.

Wish me luck that I won't get too tired since I haven't been working in a long time.

Thanks to everybody who helped me to think positive during some of those desperate times when I thought myself worthless and old.

Yay!!!!

 

[Carrie630]

congrats!! I hope you enjoy your new job

 

[Astra]

Aw Heike
that's fantastic news, well done you!
You'll be brill, just enjoy it
xxx

 

[Lisa]

Woo hoo! Congrats!!!

 

[xJillx]

Hooray! What terrific news, especially those benefits!

Good luck in your new position!

 

[Jennjenn]

Congrats!!

 

[LOSTnut]

Hooray! What terrific news, especially those benefits!

Good luck in your new position!

Yes, the whole range of bennies incl. short and long term disability, even life insurance ...all that stuff that is sooooooo hard to get when you are sick and have pre-existing condition. :ybiggrin:

 

[Jennjenn]

That is great! I am happy for you. Short and Long term is a huge ++++ I think when I go back to work I am going to try to see if Aflac will take me on again even though I have the pre-existing condition. I want extra insurance just incase!

 

[Jennjenn]

Oooo then they would not accept me either oh well....have to come up with some other "just incase plan" I guess when I do find a job and go back to work. Putting down you don't have it would be bad also. They will find out when they get any medical records or when a doctor puts diagnosis date when asked.

 

[Lisa]

Jenn- try Combined Insurance - I have policies with them, had to wait 6 months I think before being able to file any Crohns' related claim...premiums aren't bad either! That reminds me...have to file claim for dentist visit when I broke a filling - that is covered under my accident policy!

 

[Misty-Eyed]

Yeyyy congrats!!! Must be a huge weight off your shoulders!!

 

[Gwen pippy]

Thats the best news, you'll be so busy enjoying yourself in your new job you won't be thinking of bold MR CD or us only joking we'll be thinking of you in your new job and sending you good vibes and hugs xxx

 

[KaLa]

Congrats!!! I am so happy for you!

 

[LOSTnut]

I am sure I will miss my slow mornings when I usually peruse the new postings ...a cup of coffe with friends -- that's how I thought about it most of the time. :soledance:

In my opinion Aflac is not all what the commercial makes it out to be ... well, unless you are healthy and "just" have an accident like a broken bone. But, yes, they denied me short and long term disability because of Crohn's even though you usually pay for by yourself; it is not in general employer sponsored.

And, if you can hang being 6 mos without insurance and pay for your supplies, check out those PCIP plans. They are not the best but better than nothing in case something DOES happen.


:dance::yoshijumpjoy:

 

[Jennjenn]

Wow Aflac denied you. I guess I got lucky. When I first got diagnosed they paid for everything. My employer offered to us the option to sign up a year before I did get diagnosed.

 

[jesseiam2]

Congrats!

 

[Carrie630]

I don't think they can deny you if it's offered through your employer.

 

[LOSTnut]

That is the key.

I was already diagnosed and the agent kept asking me if I was sure that I had been diagnosed 3 times (lol -- I get it: you want me to say no) but, as mentioned above, I was too scared that they would find out, if and when something would happen.

I was able to sign on for the regular stuff and got $100 for the first day of hospitalization .. but had to provide them with a detailed invoice from the hospital. Back then, that wasn't too bad. But for the big stuff its a laughing matter. The short and long term is what really helps to "pay the bill" as the goose promises! :lol2:

 

[LOSTnut]

@Carrie: not regular company health insurance but I think Aflac is additional and self-paid, which is why it ticked me off so badly.

 

[Carrie630]

oh that sucks. I'm not diagnosed yet so I kind of wish the company offered it not like I can afford it though.

 

[LOSTnut]

In that case the cost isn't too bad and they have age levels and percentages for you to choose. Just as long as you can honestly say you don't have any pre-existing conditions that are on their exclusion list.

I was actually surprised back then because I never thought that Crohn's would be on it ... ha! I guess the insurance companies are quicker than I thought they would be.

 

[DougUte]

Yes, the whole range of bennies incl. short and long term disability, even life insurance ...all that stuff that is sooooooo hard to get when you are sick and have pre-existing condition. :ybiggrin:

Congrats. I don't know how we would survive without my bennies from work. But I thought ObamaCare was to provide a High Risk Insurance Pool where those of us with pre-existing conditions are supposedly able to get "affordable" insurance. I thought it started in 2010.

 

[LOSTnut]

It did ... but one of the 3 major requirements is that you have to be without insurance for 6 mos. In general, that wouldn't be so bad if you don't have to buy supplies. From my understanding they are pretty steep. On the other hand, still cheaper than a converted insurance policy with a pre-existing condition.
The broker I contacted told me in no uncertain terms: you are better off finding a job!!
Yeah, Lady, what do you think I am doing???

 

[Entchen]

Yahoo!!!! Congratulations to you! It takes a high level of skill to land a job these days.

 

[DustyKat]

Oh WOW!!!

This is so fab to hear! I am so, so happy for you...MEGA :congratualtions:

It breaks my heart knowing what you guys face when you lose insurance so you have :mademyday:

Dusty. :heart:

 

[DougUte]

It did ... but one of the 3 major requirements is that you have to be without insurance for 6 months.

True, I forgot about that for the moment. You definitely are better off with insurance through an employer. I'm sure the cost of the ObamaCare option would be extremly high.

 

[LOSTnut]

Those PCIP plans have 3 tiers, the highest has a premiom of $324 monthly with a $7,500 deductible and most services you receive have a 20% copay.
But, that is still better than the 1k monthly premium with a 5K deductible that I was quoted for an individual plan because of Crohn's.
To me it still would have been a good alternative, since I was paying Cobra.

And, for the really uninsured who need supplies I heard of the ostogroup.org who provides you with supplies upon proof that you don't have insurance. Although, from my research I learned that they cannot guarantee that they have the brand that you normally use. Still, I was glad to know that such places exist.

 

[LOSTnut]

On a different note, I got really scared yesterday that it actually was just a dream and I jinxed it all by announcing on top of my lungs that I have a job.
Went to get the drug test done .. no problem on that, but found out they also want a physical.

Man, I thought I lost the job before I started because of the darn Crohn's, which I didn't mention during the interview.

So, I sat in the exam room, heart pounding, not knowing what to do, nearly in tears, asking the doctor 5 times if she has to report all that back to the employer. She finally turns to me and says, "Nothing will be reported. We are just checking if you can do the job and you CAN DO the job!" She even showed me page that actually will be send to the employer and there was no mentioning of any of my medical history, just checking off "can do" and "cannot do" respectively.
LOL -- I think I nearly fainted with relief!
Am I stupid or am I stupid???

 

[Terriernut]

No, you are justifiably worried! But if you have difficulties in the future with Crohns, and you dont tell them up front, what will happen?
:heart:

 

[Carrie630]

(here in the US) You don't have to disclose that you have a chronic illness at any time unless it will keep you from doing the job you're being hired to do, but if you disclose it once you are working for them they can't penalize you for it. Once you have the job, usually after 6 or 12 months, you are also eligible to apply for FMLA which offers some job protections. I Keep putting off applying for FMLA, but I'll have to do it eventually.

 

[LOSTnut]

That is one reason I never claimed disability because I think that you have to disclose that.

I was just getting insecure about it and saw the job floating away, thinking that, like the insurance companies, nobody would want to hire somebody with the potential of getting really sick and spending a long time in the hospital when it gets really bad.

Personally, I still think that the big B*** at the last job caused all the trouble because before I was doing pretty well.
She caused it and then fired me for it

 

[Terriernut]

Heike, this is gonna be better, and you need to take very good care of yourself! Like listening to the GI about meds. Yeah, me too...after hernia surgery! That way we hopefully wont get sick again and there wont be any need to get rid of us for being sick!!!

Isnt it hell living in fear.

 

[LOSTnut]

YUP -- sure is! But, we will overcome, adapt and improvise ....

 

[DougUte]

(here in the US) You don't have to disclose that you have a chronic illness at any time unless it will keep you from doing the job you're being hired to do, but if you disclose it once you are working for them they can't penalize you for it. Once you have the job, usually after 6 or 12 months, you are also eligible to apply for FMLA which offers some job protections. I Keep putting off applying for FMLA, but I'll have to do it eventually.

I officially disclosed my Crohns to my employer when I had my surgery last fall. I applied for FMLA just for the job protections. I was gone for 6 weeks, and wanted a job to come back to.