Maverick IC and Cobra Premium Reduction

Is anyone out there having problems with their COBRA since moving over to the IC division?
We have had some trouble and unfortunatley, it has not been resolved to our benefit. Here is a rundown of what we have gone through. If anyone else has any ideas on this that we have not considered, please contact me.

Copy of first letter sent to UnitedHealthCare and subsequent follow up with Maverick:

I have COBRA coverage through UnitedHealthCare. I first heard about the COBRA Premium Reduction via CNN. I have contacted the company and this is what happened (except from letter I have send them)I called a representative at your company after learning about this on CNN. I was told that the letters would be in the mail within 2 weeks and would not apply towards April’s payments, but would be applied towards May’s payment. I was surprised to receive a bill in the mail for May, yet not receive a letter regarding the COBRA Premium Reduction. I called your company yesterday concerning this and was told that I may not even receive a letter and the representative could not confirm if I would be sent one, or if I was eligible to receive one according to your company’s criteria or not.

My husband was involuntarily discharged from Maverick Transportation LLC on December 21, 2008. He was transferred to the Maverick Transportation Independent Contractor Division on this date. The company required this procedure and according to the websites of HHS and the United States Department of Labor, we are eligible for this reduction. I simply request the courtesy of expediency regarding the COBRA Premium Reduction letter.

(end of letter to UnitedHealth)I have not heard a thing from the company. I have written my State Senator Shelly Moore_Capito and also WV Senator Robert C. Bryd. I was told to call DOL. I called DOL and they tell me to call my insurance co. My current premiums are $951.79 EACH MONTH! This does not include my prescription co pays. They are close to $200.00 per month. I have severe health problems and no other insurance company will insure me. After my COBRA runs out, I have to enroll with Access WV, which will cost $1,200 PER MONTH! This is insane! All I want is United Health to do what they are supposed to do and give me some relief, if only for the next 9 months as the DOL website describes. What can I do to make them apply the COBRA Premium Reduction??

Follow up info - called Maverick 4/29/09
I called Mavericks HR person. I was told that my husband was classified as a voluntary termination since he switched to the Independent Contractor Division. It seems that neither Maverick or UnitedHealthCare are willing to go out of their way on this issue. I was told that the law is still being clarified and no one is really sure how to apply it. This I believe, because the DOL website lists different criteria from the HHS website. Guess I am lost in the red tape and confusion.
I'll just "walk it off".

COBRA Continuation Coverage Assistance Under The American Recovery And Reinvestment Act Of 2009
http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/COBRA.html

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/COBRAContinuationofCov/

 

Update on my situation; I was told to contact the Maverick COBRA administrator, which I did. Maverick classifies my husbands termination as voluntary. Therefore, I am not eligible for the Premium Reduction. I also contacted the DOL again and was finally given an explanation regarding the differences in criteria on the DOL site and the HHS. The HHS criteria is for companies with less than 20 employees. The DOL criteria is for companies with over 20 employees.
Oh well, its just like buying a used car, it looks real good on the outside till you look under the hood real close. The red tape monster got me on this one!

 

In reply to: "So is the pay at least better? Hoping one of these companies actually has a good lease deal. Maverick seems like a good shot at it." --
It was a little better at first. It is not so great now. Though they are better than others that can be downright exploitive. My husband usually makes about the same as a decent check when he was a company driver,sad but true. Most checks have not been over $650.00 - $700.00 on average. Some as little as $300.00. I know, I have a spreadsheet documenting pay for nearly 2 yrs.

The current mood at Maverick for the IC drivers is one of frustration and fear. All the IC drivers are walking on egg shells, as the company seems determined to cut them loose. As an example, a few weeks ago there were several drivers up in the Maryland area and they're fleet manager(s) all tried to give them loads that require them getting a load from the Port of Delaware. These loads are notorious for not paying. The drivers would loose money on the loads and would actually have to pay to ship them, taking into consideration all payments, fuel cost and the tolls needed to be paid. A total of 5 drivers said no way. The guy in charge over their fleet managers told the fleet managers to leave them sit. They sat for Friday through Monday. Some not even getting a load until Tuesday. This was their punishment.

They have recently been told that the company is NOT obligated to even tell them how much the load pays or what the fuel surcharge is. Most of the CSR's will knowingly try to put a load on a driver that they know, or should know, that the time frame is impossible to get to unless you operate a corporate jet. Then they assess points saying the driver turned down a load. When a driver says I can not make this in the time window allowed, as in you can not drive 45 miles in 7 minutes, the driver should not be flagged as turning down a load. Surely the CSR or Fleet Manager should see the wisdom in calling the client to alter the delivery time. They are telling all drivers to match their Qualcomm, but if the drivers say they are out of hours, they are penalized by not getting assigned a load at all, having the load taken off them or by being given a subsequent load that is a money loser.

Most current IC loads are not even paying $1.25 a mile. Most have been $1.00 or even less. The costs for being an IC driver are many; Fuel, Physical Damage Insurance, License & Permit Fees, Fuel Tax, Miles Tax, Qualcomm, Truck Lease, Maintenance Escrow, Equipment Loan Repayment, Primary Escrow, Trailer Lease, Mavericks Commission (which in our case is nearly $10,000 to date), Repair Costs, Supplies, Tolls, Cost of Meals, Health Insurance, and putting aside money for the Ballon Payment. In our case this amounts to $11, 541.00 EACH MONTH! (Though our health costs are $1,200 of that amount.)

You see why the driver must be aware of his costs, the load pay and the profit on the load. To run the load as a "nice guy" for Maverick is not fiscally wise. Now I realize not all loads will pay well, but surely they should not make the driver lose several hundred dollars to run the load. I do not think IC drivers became drivers to operate their own charitable organization.

There have been rumors going around that Maverick has hit the iceburg and is going down. From what I have been hearing from my husband, this is sad. When we researched this company nearly 2 years ago, they had excellent ratings. They treated their drivers well. This seems to have ended; corporate shut down the company store, closed the hotel at Little Rock, and closed the drivers lounge. The weight room, once available to the drivers is only available to the office people. A gentleman once in charge of Schneider has taken over leadership of Maverick.

It has once been said that a kingdom divided against itself can not stand.
A company that cannabilizes itself and its workers can not continue either.
In addition; Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

The economy has increased the everyone out for himself mentality. This lack of compassion and kindness will eventually have a price. It's too bad the drivers are paying it now.

 

Apparently my information, which was received 3rd hand, was not correct in this regard. I stand corrected and apologize for the inaccurate info.

 

TeamPitts... are you an IC driver? Just wondering if the treatment is isolated to a few...
I know it was said that there is one Fleet Manager who is difficult, perhaps that is the main trouble. Most of the drivers with the problem seem to have the same FM.

 

My husband is very particular about safety. I rode with him and saw how thorough he is. He takes his job very seriously. He always wanted to drive a truck, but waited until our son was out of school to pursue it. He had gone to school for it before, when our son was 4, but I talked him out of continuing. He quit at my request just prior to taking his driving test. I know that was difficult and an immense sacrifice. He said that he never regretted it.

We were both self employed for many years, working together. We always took our work very seriously and he still does as a driver. His last FM when he was a company driver was Dale # Little Rock. He was a very nice guy. I got to talk to him a few times. He was told by other drives when he was about to go to IC that they hoped he did not get this one FM, because he was -- using your terms -- a turd. Lucky him, he got exactly that FM. It seems that this persons reputation preceded him.

The gentleman in charge/over the FM on the IC division (I will not use names as I am afraid of repercussions.) told my husband when he first requested the change, that he is assigned this FM and that it that. He will not change him to another FM. He told him so. If the economy was better I would advise him to turn in the truck and go back to working as a company driver, probably with some other company, because I think his current FM and the higher up would not allow the transfer back.

My husband is in the Long Haul Div. I do not like to see him so unhappy, because he had wanted this for so long. It is most unfortunate. He feels trapped I am sure, because we must have health insurance for me. If I go for more than 3 days without my meds and my oxygen, I wind up in the hospital. I know this is putting stress and worry on him.

Driving is a very stressful job, I only got to experience it briefly when I rode with him (before my health got worse). I have a tremdous amount of respect for the drivers that take their job seriously. I saw examples of both while I was with him. Most drivers are trying to be safe, most care about their job and all hate the amount of time away from home. I don't think that people give them any credit. You all have to worry about the moron in the little car cutting across 4 lanes just to get to that exit, even tho there was no one behind you, they had to race to get in front of the big truck to get the exit. Go figure that.

The soccer moms on the cell phones, the drunks, the young punks and even the psychos. He had said some nut was shooting at truckers in Mt Airy, NC some time ago. So, as a truckers wife I try to be supportive and tell him I love him and that I really do appreciate what he is doing for me. I really do appreciate it. I know the general public don't look at truckers with any respect.I know that when I say my hubby is a trucker, all people think is that hey, they are rich. And then they start to give me attitude. Thats my 2 cents....