What can I do if my employer canceled my insurance but never notified me of this?
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What can I do if my employer canceled my insurance but never notified me of this?
I have recently received bills for doctor’s appointments and a hospital stay. I have since stopped treatments and prescriptions. Is my employer responsible for my payments because I was never notified?
Asked on September 2, 2014 under Employment Labor Law, New Jersey
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 9 years ago | Contributor
If they cancelled it while still taking your employee portion of the premiums from your pay, they'd likely be liable or responsible for the bills. Or if there was no employee portion, but the insurer, as you say, cancelled it without letting you know about the cancellation *and* without you doing anything to cause the cancellation, they may well be liable. Of course, if they won't voluntarily pay, you'd have to sue them, which coud be time consumming and expensive and is never, even in good cases, guaranteed.
However, if either you *should* have known about the cancellation or did any thing to cause the cancellation--such as your hours dropped below the minimum for coverage; or the insurer had warned everything that after a certain date they were going to stop providing health insurance; or it was open enrollment season and you did not return your forms/sign up in time; or you had sent an email or other notice to HR that you didn't want inurance; etc.--then you would be responsible for the bills.
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