This is really just a personal diary. I'm not sure what larger point I have to make, if any. But a couple of months ago, the company I work for was bought out by another company. After the acquisition, we were told that our health insurance would carry over to the new company without any interruptions. We even had the same provider. (Think "blue".)
There were some forms we had to fill out. I filled them out and gave them back to our (the old company's) HR person. Then, just recently, I got an email forwarded to me from the new company's HR person. It seems that they didn't have all the right forms for me, and my health insurance expired. Back at the end of April. Which they are only telling me about now.
Oh, and today is my birthday. Happy birthday to me. As for health care, until the paperwork is straightened out, I am completely naked. So for my birthday, I am wearing my birthday suit.
I'm not sure why I'm diarying this — just fishing for sympathy? I could remind people going through a merger or acquisition to make assurance double sure that their health care is squared away and all needful forms have been submitted, but honestly, that's a pretty narrow audience. I guess, more than anything else, I just want to remind everyone how important the issue of health care is, how fragile all of our coverage can be, even those of us who think we are fully covered through our employers, and of the need for universal health care in this country.
Thanks for listening.
Update: I apparently misunderstood the email from HR, which was telling me that my dental and vision coverage had lapsed. I thought it meant that everything had lapsed. So it turns out that my basic health coverage was still in place.
Within a week or two of sending in the new forms, I was informed that my dental and vision coverage was back. Although, when I went to the dentist shortly thereafter, the insurance company said that I had no dental coverage. But after one more round of back and forth between me, HR, the insurance company, and the dentist, it was restored.
That was a little over a month ago and I've been meaning to update this diary ever since. (Although I'm sure there's no one reading it.) Just in case you are reading this, my apologies for not updating sooner.