COBRA coverage begins on the date that health care coverage would otherwise have been lost by reason of a qualifying event.

COBRA establishes required periods of coverage for continuation health benefits. A plan, however, may provide longer periods of coverage beyond those required by COBRA. COBRA beneficiaries generally are eligible for group coverage during a maximum of 18 months for qualifying events due to employment termination or reduction of hours of work.

To be eligible for COBRA coverage, you must have been enrolled in your employer's health plan when you worked and the health plan must continue to be in effect for active employees. COBRA continuation coverage is available upon the occurrence of a qualifying event that would, except for the COBRA continuation coverage, cause an individual to lose his or her health care coverage.

COBRA provides certain former employees, retirees, spouses, former spouses, and dependent children the right to temporary continuation of health coverage at group rates. This coverage, however, is only available when coverage is lost due to certain specific events.

Congress passed the landmark Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) health benefit provisions in 1986. The law amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, the Internal Revenue Code and the Public Health Service Act to provide continuation of group health coverage that otherwise might be terminated.

Beneficiaries may be required to pay for COBRA coverage. The premium cannot exceed 102 percent of the cost to the plan for similarly situated individuals who have not incurred a qualifying event, including both the portion paid by employees and any portion paid by the employer before the qualifying event, plus 2 percent for administrative costs.

Employers or health plan administrators must provide an initial general notice if you are entitled to COBRA benefits. You probably received the initial notice about COBRA coverage when you were hired. When you are no longer eligible for health coverage, your employer has to provide you with a specific notice regarding your rights to COBRA continuation benefits.

Materials should be sent to you after you leave the university. Please contact Benefits at 386-822-7058.

Coverage begins once the policy has been issued and all of the delivery requirements have been returned and accepted by the insuring company. Temporary coverage may be received while the policy is being underwritten. A conditional receipt can be issued for this during the application process.

University sponsored dental insurance coverage begins the first of the month following the date of employment. Employees may begin coverage from the first date of employment by paying the total monthly premium to the University. eligible employee who wishes coverage effective from the date of hire may do so by paying the total monthly premium to the University.

Answer. Please refer to the Plan Highlights section of this site for coverage effective and termination date information.

If an employee chooses to elect COBRA continuation of benefits, then there will be no interruption of coverage, as the continuation of benefits is effective on the same date that eligibility is lost.

If a qualified beneficiary waives COBRA coverage during the election period, he or she may revoke the waiver of coverage before the end of the election period. A beneficiary may then elect COBRA coverage. Then, the plan need only provide continuation coverage beginning on the date the waiver is revoked.

Yes. Under HIPAA any period of time that you are receiving COBRA continuation coverage is counted as previous health coverage as long as the coverage occurred without a break in coverage of 63 days or more. For example, if you were covered continuously for 5 months by a previous health plan and then received 7 months of COBRA continuation coverage, you would be entitled to receive credit for 12 months of coverage by your new group health plan. Not if you enroll when you are first eligible.

Qualified beneficiaries must be given an election period during which each qualified beneficiary may choose whether to elect COBRA coverage. Each qualified beneficiary may independently elect COBRA coverage. A covered employee or the covered employee's spouse may elect COBRA coverage on behalf of all other qualified beneficiaries. A parent or legal guardian may elect on behalf of a minor child. Qualified beneficiaries must be given at least 60 days for the election.

A plan may not require any payment until 45 days after the qualified beneficiary's initial election. If a qualified beneficiary fails to make the initial premium payment within the 45-day period, the plan administrator may terminate the COBRA coverage. Thereafter, payments are due on the first of each month, subject to a 30-day grace period. The provision of medical care through a cafeteria plan (as defined in Section 125) or other flexible benefit arrangement constitutes a group health plan.