Whirlwind

This morning has been a complete whirlwind.  I get to work this morning and get a call from our union steward.  She is telling me about a meeting on Monday to discuss what happened at the meeting with the employer yesterday.  Anyway, I can tell that she is pissed off, so I ask her to share.   She knows that I will not say a word to anyone in my office until after the "official" meeting on Monday.  Boy am I glad she shared because it was a real issue for me. 

Our contract expires on November 30.  The jist of the meeting yesterday was that they are changing our insurance (completely), they have already signed contract for said insurance.  We had no idea that this was even being talked about.  AND said new insurance is going to cost us $110 dollars a month more.  My dilema is that I have a secondary insurance through my husband.  I was able to get my band without owning anything.  I however do not want to pay $170 a month for insurance if I don't really have to as I am post op.  Employer is not saying this to anyone, nor have they mentioned to anyone that November is open enrollement.  So they just figure they are going to spring this new insurance on us Dec 1, take first payment $85 out of paycheck on Dec 3.  It won't be open enrollment anymore, so changes can't be made without penalties and you are stuck paying for a year.  I have no problem dropping this insurance as I am covered by husband also, but the problem I have is my next fill appointment is DEC 1!  What timing.  Also, my doctors last day before Dec 1 was yesterday.  So in order to have appointment before insurance changes, I have to drive 4 hours ONE WAY! 

I called my husbands insurance and they said that they can't change to primary until Dec 1.  Pre-authorization has to be made for fill appts as Bariatric Surgeon is not contracted in my region.  Pre-authorization will not be approved as secondary, so I have no choice but to drive for next appointment.  Geez, totally what I want to do right after Thanksgiving!  I was able to get an appointment on Monday November 29.  That will give me 6-8 weeks to set up new appointment and straighten out this mess.  I am just SO GLAD that union steward confided in me!  I couldn't imagine trying to figure all of this out next week with the holiday!