If you’ve recently left jobs or lost health coverage, you may have had someone mention COBRA. (No, we’re not talking about the snake). COBRA – also known as the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act – requires group health plans to offer continuation coverage to covered employees, former employees, spouses, former spouses, and dependent children when group health coverage would otherwise be lost due to certain events. COBRA insurance allows you to keep your employer-sponsored plan temporarily, but it comes with a hefty price tag. Who is eligible for COBRA? COBRA is available for people who quit their job or are: Laid off Fired and it
Covered California vs. COBRA
If you’ve lost health insurance coverage due to a qualifying event such as losing a job or leaving a job, you have a few options to remain insured. Some individuals prefer to continue their employer sponsored coverage through COBRA, others prefer to purchase insurance directly from the private marketplace. For those eligible for premium subsidies, Covered California may also be a good option. Regardless of which option is chosen, an employee has 60 days from the former health plan end date to apply for coverage through COBRA, Covered California, or the Private Exchange. Here are the different options for remaining insured after a change in
What is a Cobra Continuation Health Coverage?
If former employees, spouses, dependents, or retirees lose health coverage, they may be eligible for a COBRA Continuation Health Coverage Plan. COBRA is eligible to an employee if they are no longer offered health coverage under their employer and the employer is still offering the same health coverage to the other employees. Typically, businesses with 20 or more employees utilize COBRA. However, eligibility is also determined based on certain qualifying events. You must fit into one of the below qualifying events in order to be considered a COBRA qualified beneficiary. The qualifying events for employees: Voluntary or involuntary termination of employment (misconduct is not included)
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 – COBRA Provisions
I recieved this message from a COBRA provider I partner with. This message follows up on the COBRA provisions in the economic stimulus bill, formally titled the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the “Act”), which reached final Congressional approval late on Friday, February 13, 2009. The 1,073 page bill has a final price tag of $787 billion and combines tax cuts aimed at stimulating the economy right away, with longer term government spending on public works projects in the health care, energy and technology sectors. The House and Senate both voted along strongly partisan lines, with no Republicans approving the bill in the