I worked in a management position for a small (family-owned) company. I'm now unemployed, and on the hook for a large hospital bill. LONG BACKSTORY BELOW, ANY ADVICE IS APPRECIATED
The specifics:
As mentioned above, I had health issues that (after battling pain and discomfort for the 2 weeks that this issue ran on) I finally decided to go to urgent care to see what was going on. This was on 10PM Wednesday evening that eventually when all was said and done, I didn't leave the emergency room (that urgent care referred me to) until 4:30AM Thursday.
Needless to say, I didn't get any sleep, so I informed my boss as soon as I got home that I would not be in for work that day (Thursday) as well as emailed the documentation of my hospital visit. I got some sleep, and when I awoke I recieved an email stating that as of that current day (Thursday) I was being laid off due to “decline in business and rising costs.” Seemed odd that I wasn't told in person and it was quite sudden, but nonetheless I responded professionally and went to job hunting.
Fast forward a a couple weeks and I recieved notice that my insurance was terminated by my provider. Expected, but once again odd, as I'd expected it to at least last the remainder of the month, but it showed my policy had been stopped the DAY I left the ER (Thursday at 12:00 AM; remember I left at 04:00AM that day). Red flag, but I thought maybe there was a clerical issue and wanted to wait until the hospital bill came in.
Fast forward a couple MORE weeks later and I receive a 14k bill from the emergency room. Called the insurance provider and they stated that the employer halted the policy on WEDNESDAY which would have cut off the policy on Thursday, which puts me on the hook for my hospital bill.
The conclusion:
I'm unsure of the path forward here. Has this happened to anyone before? Is this legal? Instincts say otherwise but you never know in today's day in age. I'll get legal involved if it seems necessary, but I don't want to jump the gun and pay a bunch of $$$ if I just am the recipient of some really shitty circumstances. Any advice/input would be really helpful.
TLDR: I was “laid off” from work after missing due to hospital visit.
-Went to hospital on a Wednesday-Thursday AM, missed Thursday work day
-Recieved lay-off email that same Thursday, then found out from insurance provider that company terminated my policy from the day before I was terminated, putting me on the hook for a 14k hospital bill