In shock

My employer just informed me that since I accepted their offer to work 4 days a week from Jan to July '15,( since we were so slow) that I won't qualify for Health Insurance from Sept.1 to Feb '16. So the 3 months of pre-auth prep I've done is wasted. My 3 Nutritionist visits, my PT, my abdominal scan and EKG..the $1,000 I am now in debt for, was for nothing. 

Shock doesn't actually cover it. I'm heartbroken. I am sad. I feel defeated. 

I take it no one notified you that you would not qualify for the insurance if you accepted the 4 days a week? 

I would be sitting down with HR and upper management to let them know that you were not notified of this and that you will be contacting a lawyer regarding it.  They screwed up big time.  Fight it.

I have worked in HR for over 20 years - I agree whole-heartedly!  They needed to notify you that you had a change in coverage BEFORE it happened.  Wishing you the very best!

Grrrrrrrrr, we are so sorry for all you are going through.  Try posting this on our insurance forum and see if anyone has been through this before and may be able to help you.

Insurance, Cash Pay and Financing

That's BS. Even working 8 hours/day for 4 days should have you as "Full Time" status in most companies (30+ hours). Unfortunately FLSA does not define what is full-time or part-time, so it's dependent upon your employer's policy.

As another poster said, go to H.R. about your concerns. Perhaps you can rescind the agreement to work 4 days/week.

Another alternative might be to continue your benefits through COBRA during this period when you are not covered through work.  I'm unfortunately not as HR-adept as I used to be, but it should at least be something you look into!

You have to fight this.  They are required to notify you of all changes to benefits ahead of you accepting any changes to your shift or position.  If they did not, they are required to keep benefits the same.  Fight!!!

I may be out of luck because there was information in our employee handbook that talked about the minimum hours required to qualify for medical benefits. I was still considered a Full time employee during that time frame but since I also had sick time and vacation time taken out of that chunk of time, it pushed me past the limit and I no longer qualified. I could fight it. I advised them I would speak to a lawyer, but in the end I'm scared they are just going to tell me I should've read the fine print given to me 4 months earlier when I was hired and say too bad, so sad.

My sister said how proud she is of me for not flipping out and crying. If I wasn't in shock and numb right now, I would be. 

Did they go over the handbook when they asked you to work less hours?  If not then you would have a case. 

Just because people get a handbook when they are hired does not mean they remember everything that is in it.  I know when we change things around the handbooks are gone over so everyone is on the same page and they know what to expect. 

I don't understand how they are taking vacation and sick and saying it pushed you past the limit.  Those hours should not count towards anything but your time off.  It really sounds like the company is trying to do something illegal or trying to get out of paying for medical.

It sounds to me like you just did not work enough hours to meet the insurance requirements.

Weight loss surgery is not a life-threatening emergency procedure.  It is elective.  You can use the additional time to diet and exercise.  Everything should not be wasted.  You will just get your surgery at a later date than you planned.

Make sure you are working enough hours and get your plans made to have your surgery when you are qualified again. 

I am not sure what PT is. 

This is a setback.  Can you get coverage again beginning in Feb?

if so, just keep working your plan and pick up when you're insured again.

you should still be able to satisfy a 6-month weight loss attempt during this time ...... And be better prepared for your surgery next year.