Employer Terminated COBRA Coverage After Cashing Premium

[5entinel]

I just got a bill in the mail from the medical provider saying insurance declined to pay for my procedures done first week of July. I called the medical provider and they said the employer requested on July 19 that they want their coverage terminated effective July 1st. I sent in the COBRA payment and it went out of my checking prior to my procedures. Now it is July 28th and medical provider is billing me.

The payment gets sent to a third party who collects the check and apparently forwards it to the previous employer. The third party is not saying anything because they want to protect themselves, and when asked about this situation all they do is forward me the previous employer's contact info. How can I be declined coverage for procedures done prior to the employer deciding to cancel the group insurance plan? They took my premium for July but they decided to cancel on July 19th (when medical provider was notified), however the procedures were done on July 10th. The bills will exceed thousands of dollars, medical provider has already informed me that I will continue to receive bills that I MUST pay.

Mind you, I, nor any other employees or former employees ever received any notices of this change. No options to convert to Individual plan or any mention of canceling coverage after cashing in everyone's premium for the month of July. Employer even admits that they are still 'working on it'.

Employer, medical provider, and the third party check collector are all denying responsibility. None are willing to help, especially the employer. I understand medical provider will get their money regardless of where it comes from but I cannot afford to pay for this procedure. I have only had COBRA for 6 months or so.

I am not sure if FINK v. Dakotacare applies to my case but I hope it does. I feel so cheated and helpless. What can I do?

[cbg]

Do I understand you properly, that you were on COBRA and that the employer from whom you have the COBRA took active steps to cancel the entire policy, for both active and COBRA participatants, retroactively to the beginning of the month?

Or was the policy cancelled due to non-payment of premium?

Your post is quite unclear.

[5entinel]

Yes, policy was canceled entirely for everyone. I paid my premium prior to their notification of canceling the group coverage.

7/1- I paid premium via mail with personal check, went out of my bank account two days later.
7/10- Medical procedure, paid my deductible
7/19- Employer notifies medical provider they want their group coverage canceled effective 7/1
7/25- I get billed in the mail

And I still have not gotten a written notice from the said employer about them canceling their policy. All I have is a giant medical bill that supposedly I'm responsible for?

[cbg]

Did the employer pick up coverage with another carrier?