So last week I told the state that I lost my job. That would've cancelled out the premiums I needed to pay for my health insurance. I had recently been starting to pay for state health insurance, but after I lost my job, I didn't know when or even if I would be able to pick up another job. Since every penny counts, I thought letting them I was back on the street was the wise move in order to move back down to total subsidized health insurance, like before.
I should have seen there was a problem when I went to St. Paul to break the news to them in-person. I thought I was just sent on my way with a quick thank-you. But nope, they had to ask about my other seasonal jobs, and then said to call them back when I got on unemployment, a prospect I was going to forestall for as long as possible.
And then I get this letter from the state. Didn't help that it was mailed while I was in Denver and that, ahem, I couldn't find the letter in my room for a week. Finally found it on Sunday. It said that they "needed more information" and they needed it by Saturday. Shoot.
In a panic I called before work Monday and profusely apologized. The person on the other end said that all they needed was actual income totals for this year and projected income totals from here on out. But then I called yesterday/Tuesday and stayed on the line for a total of 20 minutes because he had to review the status of all those other seasonal jobs. And it turns out I didn't have to get actual and projected income for this year. I could just ballpark an amount I'm supposed to make for 2018.
I straightened everything out. I think. So let's see if I get to pay a smaller premium, or maybe if I need to pay a premium at all, as a result of this "adjusted income." Hopefully I'm not missing a blindside where I somehow become ineligible for state-sponsored health insurance. But all of these hoops makes me regret going to the state and telling them I'm out of a job. For one thing, I have a job, at least for now. But more than that, inviting the government to pry into your business is a chance for my best-laid plans to be ruined, and I'm still not out of these woods yet.
Hey, what's $16 a month of health insurance, anyway? I should have kept my mouth shut.
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