How does a person become eligible for COBRA continuation coverage? What process must individuals follow to elect COBRA continuation coverage?
What is COBRA? COBRA stands for The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act and it gives workers and their families who lose their health benefits the right to choose to continue group health benefits provided by their group health plan for limited periods of time under certain circumstances such as voluntary or involuntary job loss, reduction in the hours worked, transition between jobs, death, divorce, and other life events. Qualified individuals may be required to pay the entire premium for coverage up to 102 percent of the cost to the plan. Illinois law requires that group health plans sponsored by employers with 20 or more employees in the prior year offer employees and their families the opportunity for a temporary extension of health coverage (called continuation coverage) in certain instances where coverage under the plan would otherwise end. Group health plans sponsored by employers in Illinois with less than 20 employees are exempt from COBRA regulations, but are requi
