{"id":357852,"date":"2017-03-13T16:58:42","date_gmt":"2017-03-13T21:58:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/employment\/wages-and-benefits\/how-to-sign-up-for-cobra.html"},"modified":"2024-04-19T07:50:08","modified_gmt":"2024-04-19T12:50:08","slug":"how-to-sign-up-for-cobra","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/employment\/wages-and-benefits\/how-to-sign-up-for-cobra.html","title":{"rendered":"How To Sign Up for COBRA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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How To Sign Up for COBRA<\/h1>\n
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\n By FindLaw Staff<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Omri Ben-Ari, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Health insurance is essential, and the thought of losing your health coverage can be stressful. Medical debt is a significant factor in many filing for bankruptcy<\/a>. Fortunately, you may be eligible for short-term continuation of your health care coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act<\/a>, otherwise known as COBRA. Read on to learn about COBRA eligibility, what COBRA benefits are, and how to sign up for them.<\/p>\r\n

What Is COBRA?<\/h2>\r\n

COBRA is an amendment to the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). ERISA and COBRA rights require some employers to temporarily extend health benefits through COBRA continuation coverage to beneficiaries who experience a \u201cqualifying event" that would otherwise make them ineligible for health insurance coverage. This isn’t open enrollment into a group health plan.<\/p>\r\n

Under COBRA, you can expect the same coverage<\/a> your former employer offers in your COBRA plan. But providers deliver COBRA at your expense without any employer contribution, making COBRA premiums expensive\u2014up to 102% of the plan’s cost. It’s also important to note that COBRA benefits and plan coverage are only offered for a limited time, typically between 18 and 36 months.<\/p>\r\n

Am I Eligible for COBRA?<\/h2>\r\n

Your health care plan must be subject to ERISA to be eligible for COBRA<\/a>. Typically, group health care plans maintained by private sector employers with 20 or more employees are subject to ERISA and offer COBRA protection. If you’re unsure whether your plan provides COBRA, contact the plan’s administrator to confirm eligibility. The Department of Labor also has helpful COBRA guides for employees<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

You must also be a \u201cqualifying beneficiary" to be eligible for COBRA. This means that, before the qualifying event, you had insurance through the group health coverage as an employee or as an employee’s spouse or dependent child.<\/p>\r\n

Finally, you must have experienced a \u201cqualifying event" that caused you to lose insurance coverage. Qualifying events include:<\/p>\r\n