Can my husband legally cancel my health care?

Question

I live in New York. My husband and I are separated (not legally). He cancelled my Health Insurance (which he pays for) without telling me. Can he do this???

Answer 1

He already did it. So, yes he can.

However, if you get a separation agreement or divorce that includes his obligation to provide health insurance, THEN he would be obligated.

Otherwise, you will need to get your own insurance.

Answer 2

You'll need to find out when it happened & under what circumstances. Because you were formerly insured, your husband's employer will likely be able to tell you "why" the coverage was cancelled (call the number on the back of the medical card if you have one). Generally, if it is not the beginning of the year, employees cannot make changes to their health benefits coverage. If your husband told his company that he recently became divorced, and for that reason, he was allowed to terminate coverage, you can petition the company to have it reinstated. Unfortunately, if he removed you from coverage during the enrollment period, there is not much you can do as he is not legally obligated to provide you with coverage. However, you should have received an offer for COBRA (continuation of benefits) coverage from the company, though it is very expensive.

Answer 3

(1) He can stop paying for YOUR insurance, if he was paying for it before. He can stop paying. Full stop. They'll just cancel the insurance, if that's the case.

(2) Whether he can cancel it all depends on the level of access he has to your account - or the joint account ( you didn't make this clear). The access level would have been specified when you signed up for health insurance.

(3) This means you gotta call up your health insurance provider (have all your documentation ready - i.e. an invoice from your health insurance provider - but I guess your husband must have that!?) - you haven't given enough information on this point, though.

(4) Otherwise call them up, tell them your name, address Date of birth etc. and they maybe be able to authorise access. If not, you will have to head down to the nearest branch of your insurance provider and visit in person, providing full I.D

(5) In short he CAN, and is perfectly entitled to stop paying without telling you. Whether he is authorised and able to CANEL (which is different to not paying) is a completely different person. Talk to the insurance company.
Good luck!

Answer 4

I think I'd be shopping for health care coverage. You're still legally married and he can do it. Now, a judge may order him to pay if for a period of time after a divorce. But, how soon will that be? And it maybe that cancelling it now will give him time to show you don't have coverage to prevent him from having to pay for it after divorce.

Part of being divorced is that you don't want to be married anymore. So, why should you receive the benefits of being married? Start shopping for coverage or get familiar with the free clinics in NY.

Answer 5

That is a good question for a lawyer. I do not know NY laws so cannot answer.
Get a lawyer or if you cannot afford one call legal aid or someone in you county, city etc. Get some help.

Answer 6

I think that he can b/c technically you all don't have to have insurance....but on the other hand if you all were divorced he probably would be made to pay it if u didn't work.

Answer 7

u must check ur agreement first b4 finding out legal or not.if it said either party can sign 4 termination then it's legal.

Answer 8

Yes...absolutely. U R screwed.....sorry.

Answer 9

to my knowledge no he cant not as long as you are still married and only if a judge says its OK after you divorce.. get a divorce lawyer and she what she/he says..

Answer 10

im not in new york call a lawyer there