Offered work insurance, currently on MediCal

I currently have Partnership Healthplan of CA through Medi-Cal based on income.

I see 2 providers through the county BH office, my PCP, and a handful of specialists (PT, sleep medicine, orthopedic surgery, nephrology, gastro, etc.) I also am in the process of meeting compliance for a CPAP machine, rent to own basically, which is $2k OOP without insurance and way out of my price range. All of this is covered through my insurance and I was just qualified for another year on it.

My job is merging/getting bought out by another clinic and when employees switch over Nov 1 they can be put on their health insurance. It is a Blue Shield plan with a high deductible but the company also provides a $3500 HRA card to cover all but $900 of the deductible. There is no monthly premium. I worry this will not be accepted by my providers and I will have to find new ones and lose access to my CPAP machine. I just recently had to switch everyone in May already when they put me on Medi-Cal without notice.

Can I deny the plan and sign up using loss of Medi-Cal as a QLE in a year if they drop me to get on work insurance? Would Medi-Cal get mad if I denied a health plan offered? I live paycheck to paycheck and have a lot of health needs. The HRA card would help but meeting the other $900 of my deductible would put me in a bind and I definitely have more than $4400 of medical needs in a year (6 prescriptions a month, 2-3 doctor visits a week, etc.) Should I take the work ins and try to keep Medi-Cal as a secondary and just hope my providers take the Blue Shield? I know the county providers (psych and therapy) do not take it but I'm not sure of the rest.

See also  Help with understanding Qualifying Events and COBRA

Thank you for any insight.

submitted by /u/krissykross
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