COBRA Overview |
A law known as COBRA allows you and/or your dependents to self-pay for continued coverage under a set of defined "Qualifying Events." Participants must apply and make monthly self-payments in strict compliance with the rules in order to be covered under the COBRA provision. |
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Qualifying Events and Maximum Coverage Period |
You and/or your dependents can make COBRA self-payments for up to 18 months if your coverage terminates due to one of the following Qualifying Events:
- A reduction in your hours; or
- Termination of your employment (including retirement)
If you or a covered dependent is disabled (as defined by the Social Security Administration) on the date that the qualifying event occurs (or becomes disabled within 60 days after COBRA coverage starts), you can extend the 18-month COBRA coverage period up to a total of 29 months. Note that the COBRA self-payment may be higher for the extra 11 months of coverage.
Your dependents can make COBRA self-payments for up to 36 months if their coverage terminates due to one of the following Qualifying Events:
- Your divorce or legal separation from your spouse; or
- A child's failure to meet the definition of a dependent; or
- Your death.
If a second qualifying event occurs during an 18-month COBRA coverage period (such as a divorce or a child losing dependent status), your dependents can extend coverage up to a maximum of 36 total months of COBRA coverage.
Please notify the Fund office immediately if a Qualifying Event occurs. |
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Qualifying Events and Maximum Continuation Period |
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Qualifying Event |
Who Can be Covered |
Maximum Continuation Period |
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1) |
Loss of benefits caused by reduction in work |
Employee and dependents |
18 months after loss of benefits* |
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2) |
Loss of benefits caused by termination of employment except for gross misconduct |
Employee and dependents |
18 months after loss of benefits* |
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3) |
Loss of benefits caused by death of participant |
Dependents |
36 months after Qualifying Event |
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4) |
Loss of benefits caused by divorce |
Dependents |
36 months after Qualifying Event |
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5) |
Loss of benefits caused by child losing dependent status |
Dependent child |
36 months after Qualifying Event |
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* COBRA can be extended to 29 months if the covered person is disabled prior to or in the first 60 days of COBRA coverage. |
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COBRA Coverage Costs (As of March 2008) |
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Regular |
Utility |
| Medical Only: |
$495 |
$811 |
| Medical, Dental and Vision: |
$553 |
$884 |
Medical, Dental, Vision & Life**
*Life insurance on employee only |
$557 |
NA |
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Short-Hours Self-Payment |
The Short-Hours Self-Payments option allows active employees who are currently covered under the Plan to continue their coverage even if they do not meet the normal hours-worked requirement for a specific month.If you do not have 125 hours in a particular eligibility month, and your previous hours are not enough to satisfy the Rollback Rule, you can make a short hours self-payment to continue your eligibility for coverage. The amount of your payment is determined by subtracting your credited hours in the eligibility month from 160 hours, and multiplying the difference by the current employer contribution rate. You can make up to 6 consecutive monthly self-payments after that, you must re-establish your eligibility based on credited hours worked, or continue coverage via COBRA. |
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Other Continuation Coverage |
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