Can my employer legally switch health insurance without notifying me or getting my signature? N.Carolina?
Question:
Is there a law protecting my rights for this?
Where can I find information or who can I contact?
Answer:
Your employer is the policy owner and can make changes to the plan, change carriers or cancel the coverage anytime they wish. Employees are "covered members" who are not named individually on the policy and so employee approval is not needed for changes. It's in your employer's best interest to continue the coverage and not reduce it, so they can attract and retain their employees - but it's not a requirement.
Having said that, it's typical for employers to announce changes to employees, outline cost and benefit changes for the coming plan year and to provide plan documents withing a reasonable time. Check with your benefits department to find out when plan information will be available either via booklet or online.
As long as there's no lapse in coverage that leaves you holding the bag for medical bills, what the company did is perfectly legal - and commonplace. Most companies DO give employees some input into insurance, but if it's a large company of several hundred or thousand employees, they may just take the info from a select representative group instead of asking every employee directly. (You didn't mention how large the company is, so I'm assuming it's a big one.)
unfortunately, yes they can. My employer switched to another carrier that my family physician was not part of "their" network and we have been going to him for over 25 years and there was nothing we could do. Either I pay the "out of network" costs or get another doctor. I don't think that is fair, but my employer said that they had to do what they could to keep costs down.
They aren't even required to provide you with coverage and can cancel their policy without notice. At least all they did was go with a new company and maybe change the benefits around. It is odd that HR wouldn't at least want to make it SOUND like a positive move, though.
They can change their group plan, WITHOUT your permission, aka, signature. If you have no options for changes, then the plan didn't offer any.
They aren't REQUIRED to provide you with health insurance coverage at all. You don't have a "right" to health insurance at your workplace, and you don't have a "right" to a choice of insurance at your workplace.
Call the number on the back of your member services card, to ask them for a coverage booklet and provider list.
It would be best to call the labor law in your nearby area. If you are unsure, you can always call to contact the insurance compay, note your accout of the call, and pursue to have them keep up of informing their clients.
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