I’m the responsible one. I’m not the classic underachiever or quintessential slacker. I don’t skirt my duties, nor do I underestimate the importance of the little things in life. So, when it came to the question of ‘do I enroll in cobra insurance’ after getting laid off in November, the answer was unequivocally yes!
This resounding answer was coming from someone that can count on one hand how many times he’s visited a Doctor in the past decade. Still, I’m smart enough to know that sometimes things just happen and one stroke of bad luck can drown you in hospital bills.
After being laid off in Mid November and realizing that there wouldn’t be much available by way of work until after the New Year, I decided to take some much deserved time to myself and visit family in Florida. My plan was to fly home on January 1st, a day after my insurance lapsed and immediately enroll. Now, as I said, I never doubted that I’d enroll, I didn’t want to ever spend a day without coverage, but since I was away I figured I’d be okay with a day or two in between. What could possibly happen.
Enter Murphy’s law. On January 2nd, just 2 days after my coverage lapsed and still not in receipt of the Cobra package, I threw my back out. This wasn’t new to me, I’ve had recurring problems for awhile. While it can be quite debilitating, it didn’t normally require much more than bed rest. However, as only my bad luck could have it, I started experiencing the most excruciatingly painful back spasms. I’ve never had them before, I was completely unprepared for the intensity. In fact, I wasn’t even sure what was going on, it was unlike anything in the past. After a few moments of screaming like a school girl, I had to break down and call 911.
The absolutely irony of being covered by insurance literally my entire life and having to be rushed to the hospital in one of only two days without coverage just seems like a cosmic conspiracy.
I can’t even say this post should be a lessoned learned. Anyone who turns down Cobra coverage is playing with fire. No, this little story is more about how life loves to slip in a nice kick in the proverbial nuts once in a while.