You Lost Your Job And With It, Your Insurance? Deadline Coming Up

Okay, let's cut to the important part of this story. You have 60 days. Sixty days from the day it started. If you lost your job due to Covid-19, the state of Michigan says you have 60 days to apply for low or no-cost health insurance during this "special enrollment period." It doesn't matter if you got laid off, hours got reduced or even a change in income.

The governor's release says "“Resources are available for Michiganders who have been financially impacted during this crisis, and I encourage them to explore these options for their health and the health of their families.”

One place to look at is the Health Insurance Marketplace. it may be (and probably is) less expensive than COBRA coverage.

In fact, here's the step by step instructions recommended by the state. The first thing you ought to do is check your eligibility, at Healthcare.gov There are a variety of plans you might qualify for: coverage for your kids, cost sharing, some tax credits. If you need help, call the Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) hotline. It's 877-999-6442.

DIFS says they can help with, at the very least, shopping tips. When you lose a job, that's bad enough, but in our society, what happens if you get sick along the way. Or even if you are healthy, kids are always getting hurt or getting sick. That midnight earache, or something like a deep gash in a finger that requires a dozen stitches, none of that is cheap. This might help get you through this tough patch.