Guide to COBRA Health Insurance
Under federal COBRA laws, employees and families can keep their work health insurance if they lose coverage due to job loss or family changes.
Getting Started with COBRA
- COBRA Eligibility – Find out if you qualify for COBRA coverage.
- Apply For COBRA – Learn the steps to apply for COBRA coverage.
- Cost Of COBRA Insurance – Understand the costs associated with COBRA insurance.
- Customer Service – Get assistance with your medical insurance options.
More FAQs on Beginning COBRA Continuation
Manage Your COBRA Plan
- Account Login – Access your COBRA insurance account online.
- Make a Premium Payment – Depending on the plan, online or by mail.
- Canceling Coverage – Steps to cancel your COBRA insurance coverage.
- Verify Coverage – How to verify coverage if denied by provider or pharmacy.
What Is COBRA Insurance?
COBRA allows you to continue your existing medical coverage even after leaving your job, ensuring no gaps in healthcare access during transitions. It helps you maintain the same healthcare benefits you had while employed, covering a range of health needs, including medical, dental, and vision, as long as these were part of your original employer-sponsored plan.
COBRA is a Federal Law
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) is a federal law signed by President Ronald Reagan on April 7, 1986.
A key features of the legislation allows employees and their families to keep their work health insurance for a limited time after job loss or during other life changes.
COBRA was created to help people maintain their health coverage during transitions, providing a safety net for millions of Americans. The law was part of a larger budget bill aimed at reducing the federal deficit, with Representative Pete Stark of California as its primary sponsor.
Read more: How COBRA Insurance Works
COBRA Plans & Medical Coverage
A COBRA continuation plan allows you to keep the exact same employer-sponsored health insurance plan you had before leaving your job. You will keep all the benefits you had, including prescription drug coverage, and your deductible progress remains intact.
The coverage is retroactive, meaning if you elect COBRA within the required timeframe, it will cover any eligible medical expenses that occurred after your job ended, ensuring no gaps in your health insurance coverage. This continuity is crucial during periods of transition, providing peace of mind and uninterrupted care.
How Do You Get COBRA Health Insurance?
If you lose your job or your work insurance ends, your employer must offer you COBRA. You will be sent a notification within 45 days to continue your employer coverage.
You have 60 days to respond to the election notice and apply for COBRA. This special enrollment allows you to continue the same medical policy you had while you were employed. Learn how to enroll in COBRA coverage.
COBRA Qualifying Events & Eligibility
Qualifying events trigger your eligibility for COBRA insurance and can range from voluntary or involuntary job loss to transitions between jobs. Other events such as a reduction in work hours, death, and divorce also qualify.
Eligibility Topics
Getting COBRA insurance starts with a qualifying event that would terminate a person’s employer-based health insurance.
Check your eligibility for COBRA
Completing the survey will determine if you are eligible to continue your most recent employer group health plan.
Maintaining Health Insurance Between Jobs
Finding yourself between jobs requires obtaining health insurance to protect against high medical costs. Carefully consider your choices to make an informed decision during this transitional period.
- Continuing Current Coverage: Choosing COBRA allows you to maintain your current health plan without exclusions or pre-existing condition limitations. Feel confident visiting the doctor or obtaining prescriptions, knowing you’re covered.
- Affordable Option: If you’re in good health or need short-term coverage, explore temporary health plans. This option offers month-to-month coverage until you have new employer-sponsored insurance.
Short-term health insurance and marketplace plans or Obamacare are affordable solutions for those needing coverage over a brief period — for example, between jobs or as you wait for your new insurance policy to begin.
While Medicaid constitutes one alternative based on income, many individuals will receive a federal subsidy for choosing an Affordable Care Act marketplace plan. These federally regulated plans are comprehensive, convenient and offers similar benefits to employer health insurance. Just as with COBRA, you have a limited window for enrolling in marketplace coverage following a qualifying event.
Availability of Mini-COBRA in Select States
In many states, businesses with a workforce of 19 or fewer employees are obligated to offer continued health insurance coverage to former employees, similar to the federal COBRA regulations. Please be aware that the deadlines and time frames for making a decision about coverage may differ based on state laws.
Find your state in the COBRA State-by-State Guide.
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Temporary health insurance is a popular, affordable solution to cover gaps in coverage while you are between Major Medical plans.
*Eligibility for short term medical insurance is based on age and state availability.
