Helpful Hints in a Time of Transition

Health Care
As for Health Coverage Options, I saw the following in the Charlotte Observer's Sunday, March 1 edition that I think some may find useful (the article appeared in Sec. D - Moneywise, page 1D and 6D):

Ride it out and hope for the best. Community health centers provide medical care for the uninisured and charge based on income. Drugmakers provide free medications through the Partnership for Prescription Drug Assistance for eligible applicants. Details: www.pparx.org.

Get coverage through a spouse's or domestic partner's employer. Under the law, unemployed workers who loase their employer-sponsored health insurance have 30 days to enroll in a plan offered by their spouse's or domestic partner's employer.

Buy an individual health insurance policy. Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina is the largest provider, but a number of insureres market individual policies in North Carolina. For a list go to www.ncdoi.com/Consumer/consumer_health.asp Annual premiums in North Carolina average $3,080.

Insurer of last resort. The N.C. Health Insurance Risk Pool is available to those who lack insurance because they have health problems, have exhausted their COBRA benefits or lost their jobs to overseas competition. Details: www.nchirp.org or 1-866-665-2117.

Unemployment
When filing (on line) your initial unemployment claim, be careful to mark the correct box that accurately reflects why you lost your job ---- terminated vs. laid off. There is an important distinction between the two and checking the wrong box can affect the acceptance of your claim and/or the speed at which it is processed. Be careful in that section of the application!

If you file online and receive a notice that more information is needed and that the agency will contact you, do not wait...despite being instructed to do so. You should go in person to a local ESC office or preferably call to get the issues cleared up. Call 1-866-278-3822. You will likely need to call several times in a 5 to 10 minute period to get through. Once you do, you will be placed on line for up to 50 minutes (sounds like a lot but calling may save you several hours of waiting in line at the office). The staff is very friendly and helpful and is usually able to resolve all issues over the phone.

If you received severance, you do not have to wait until the severance period (number of months of severance you receive) is up to apply for unemployment insurance. As long as you are signed up at an accredited college/university to take a class, you can receive unemployment insurance right away. You will need to show proof of registration and payment for the class. The ESC agency will instruct you how to submit this information - via fax, on line or in person.

For further information, you can look up the agency online at http://www.ncesc.com.