COBRA – What Is It and How Does It Work?

COBRA – What Is It and How Does It Work?

COBRA allows you to continue your healthcare coverage for up to 18 months. With COBRA certain people with a disability are allowed 11 additional months. And, even if you choose not to extend your health insurance coverage immediately after you leave your job, you have a grace period in which you can still enroll.

WHO QUALIFIES?
Former employees, spouses, former spouses and dependent children are eligible, regardless of their health. There are exceptions: You cannot get COBRA if your employer no longer offers health insurance to current employees. You’re also out of luck if the company goes out of business. Federal employees are covered by a law similar to COBRA.

HOW LONG DOES IT LAST?
COBRA provides up to 18 months of coverage from the time you leave your job or drop to part-time status. The coverage lasts up to 36 months after you no longer qualify as a dependent on an employee’s policy. That includes, for example, a child who reaches the cutoff age for coverage or a former spouse who gets a divorce from the employee.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Probably more than you expect. You have to pay the employee’s and the employer’s share of the premium — or an average of $12,680 for families this year — plus up to 2% in administrative costs. But legislation Congress passed earlier this year provides a 65% COBRA subsidy for up to nine months for people who lose their job between September 1, 2008, and December 31, 2009.

WHO SHOULD TAKE IT?
You can’t be rejected or charged more under COBRA because of your health, so it’s a good deal for people with medical conditions who might otherwise have a tough time finding affordable insurance. But if you’re healthy and live in a state with a competitive health-insurance market (which includes most states other than New York and New Jersey), you may find a better deal on your own.

Here is the video on Youtube: